Kiss From a Violet
by RTraylor77
Summary: AU. Raven realized she was in love with her best friend Robin a little over a year ago. Now, she's being forced to bond with the debonair Roy Harper for a school project. And the only person who knows how she truly feels about Robin is the other redhead, Wally West. Which guy will Raven end up with? You'll just have to read and see. RaeRobSpeedy
1. My English Partner's a Hottie

**Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans. But I wish I did lol.**

1\. My English Partner's a Hottie

It was the first day back from Spring Break, and all of the seniors at Jump City High were way past being over school. Graduation was only three weeks away, and they were counting down each and every second. The ones who had played around all four years were scrambling to make ends meet while the ones who had done all they needed began to play around. Then, there were ones like Roy Harper, more popularly known as _Speedy_ due to his extensive track record, who continued to play around instead of focusing on finals.

"Think fast!" Speedy bellowed as he threw his friend, Victor's, football at his best friend, Wally. Victor was mostly known as Cyborg, because of his ability to work magic with anything technological and electrical. He was the quarterback of the football team and everyone's best friend due to his friendly nature. He had chocolate skin, a shaved head, steel gray eyes, and huge biceps that made most girls swoon, but he was never one to be a jerk.

On the other hand, even though they were part of a bigger group, Wallace "Wally" West was Speedy's partner in crime. They had been best friends long before they could even count. Wally had an even more impressive track and field record which earned him the nickname, Kid Flash. However, he wasn't liked by some due to his overconfident nature. Plus, he was never still and always happy which ran some people off. He was almost way too perfect of a human being. His red hair was spiked with gel and hair spray and anyone could get lost in his clear, lake blue eyes.

"Ow!" Kid Flash winced as the ball pounced into his nose making it slightly crack. "Not fair, Speeds, I was NOT prepared." He eyed his friends as they doubled over in laughter. They were in the middle of changing classes, but of course Speedy couldn't go on to his next class without getting a good laugh. The last day of school was near, and he really was going to miss running and messing around with his friends, getting scolded by teachers, and just having a place where they could all be together and have a good time. He would also definitely miss the access to all the hot chicks, being the ladies' man he was.

"I'm waiting on you to toss it back, Butterfingers." Speedy smirked and held his hands in a catching position. His tall, lean, 6'2 figure started trotting backwards as Kid Flash prepared to throw the ball, then before he knew it—

 _SLAM_! A loud pang swept through the air as a crowd of books fell to the ground.

"Ugh, watch it, Sunny D." Speedy quickly turned around and realized he had bumped into one of Wally's mysterious, outsider friends, Raven Roth. He smirked at the insult and eyed her up and down. He had never really given her looks a second thought due to the fact that she was a brooder and just had a dim aura surrounding her. He realized her long, flowy hair was a strange shade of purple, maybe violet, and her eyes were an almost identical amethyst color. Her skin was so pale and gray that he wondered if she ever faced the sun. She was very petite at a mere 5'4, but she had the hips and curves of a goddess. Yet, her clothes downplayed her looks.

Speedy came to his senses as he realized his smirk had turned into a creepy stare.

" _Sooooo_ , are you going to say anything?" Raven said lowly and shifted under his uncomfortable gaze.

Speedy immediately resorted back to himself, "Oh, yeah! My bad, Rae, you know we're just getting a good laugh in before we have to go to that boring English class. You're in our class, right?" He questioned her, but she just looked at him blankly. He felt like he was talking to a glass wall. "Um, well, uh…here, let me help you with your books!" He frantically kneeled down and grabbed the books. She snatched them out of his hands as gingerly as possibly, mumbled a mere _thanks_ , and continued down the hall.

"Dude," Cyborg finally spoke for the first time in those swift three minutes, breaking the awkward silence the quiet girl had left them in, "she called you _Sunny D_!" And with that Cyborg and Kid Flash broke out into uncontrollable laughter. Speedy grimaced at his friends and folded his arms. He thought they were going to joke about his stalkerish staring, but of course they only focused on her insult.

"If I'm Sunny D, then Wally's orange soda," Speedy leered, but he was right. Being ginger was another thing him and his best friend had in common. People often commented that they were the male version of the Doublemint Twins.

Now, it was Kid Flash's turn to grimace, "Whatever, dude. Let's get to class before the bell rings."

The last class was always the worst class. It always seemed to drag on and on and on and on...and on. Especially if it was a topic as boring as English Literature.

"Good afternoon, class," the teacher, Mr. Mod, paused, expecting his students to reply, but they never did. "Since, graduation's almost here, and I know most of you no longer care about class, instead of a final exam I decided we should do something fun for the next few weeks!"

The class continued to stare at him blankly until a curious Kori Anders, aka Starfire, raised her hand. "Yes, Miss Anders?" Mr. Mod asked with a hint of aggravation in his voice. Kori always had a question due to her naivety. If you'd ever met Kori, then she was definitely the sweetest girl you knew. She was also one of the most beautiful with her fire red hair—hence the nickname—and bright, youthful, emerald eyes. She was tall, slender, and had the strut of a supermodel. She never felt any negative feelings towards anyone.

"What could possibly be more fun than doing nothing?" she cooed innocently.

"A group project!" he chuckled evilly. The whole class let out a synchronized sigh. Everyone hated group projects. Not to mention, what sane person with senioritis would enjoy a group project?

"Dude, since when are group projects fun!?" Class clown, Garfield Logan also known as Beast Boy thanks to his love for furry animals, exclaimed. "One person always ends up doing most of the work while the others pitch in every now and then! Then, there's always that one person who does nothing but show up to class to get their A on the day of the presentation!"

"Hmph," his longtime girlfriend, Terra, rolled her eyes and mumbled, "and that person is usually you, Gar." Beast Boy scratched his freshly dyed green hair embarrassingly and took that as a sign to sit back and shut up. Terra balanced his boyish ways perfectly.

"Exactly, Mr. Logan!" Mr. Mod startled the teens. "It is fun for me, not you." He had always been the evil teacher everyone despised, and of course he wouldn't let them leave without making them hate him more.

"Well, what exactly do we have to do, Mr. Mod?" Everyone at JCH could recognize that voice without even raising an ear. That was because it belonged to the most popular and wealthiest boy in the school, Richard "Robin" Grayson. In most girls' opinion, his photo belonged beside _perfect_ in the dictionary. He had spiky, ebony hair, soft porcelain skin, and cerulean blue eyes that he often hid behind glasses with lens so reflective you could only see yourself. He stood at an even six foot and had the body of a well-trained, basketball player. He was valedictorian of the class and president of the student body club and debate team. Not to mention, he had been adopted into the ideal lifestyle. Yet, through all this, he managed to stay humble and normal. Most of the other guys at JCH preferred to pretend he didn't exist while the girls did the exact opposite. Robin had many friends, but insisted on spending a lot of time alone like his best friend, Raven.

"Thanks for asking, Mr. Grayson. We're going to mix a little drama with literature. I want you to do a video presentation acting out your own take on some of the most popular stories in historical lit. There shall be some romance, comedy, tragedy, and fantasy. You will be in groups of four and you'll decide who does what dealing with recording, editing, and acting. Any questions?"

Once again, no one replied, but this time they eyeballed him annoyed and angrily. This sounded like a project they were going to have to actually put some effort in.

"Okay, very well. Listen while I call out your assigned partners…"

Speedy dazed off as Mr. Mod's voice began to drift. He didn't have the best of grades, but he planned on taking it pretty easy the rest of the way. Now, he actually had to work. How could he focus on a project when he couldn't even focus in class? Usually he couldn't focus because he was thinking about sports, food, or some hottie that he'd scored with the weekend before or a hottie that he was hoping he could score the following weekend. But this girl was different. She wasn't just any hottie, she was a mysterious one. A challenge and a treasure with a very distinctive look and personality. And for some reason, he wasn't thinking about scoring with her. He was just thinking about her. And that hottie was—

"Ms. Roth, you'll be working with Mr. Harper, Mr. West, and Ms. Spellman, and your topic is the classic, Romeo and Juliet."

Speedy's jaw dropped. Oh, the irony. He was going to be working with the girl he couldn't suddenly get off his mind for two whole weeks. Usually, he'd be more excited about working with his brother from another mother, but this time was different.

"Grayson, I'm pairing you with Anders, Logan, and Markov and your story is The Odyssey. Stone, your topic is Pocahontas, and you'll be working with Beecher, Fisher, and Wilson…"

As Mr. Mod continued to talk, Speedy felt something sting his neck, "Ow!" he screeched lowly and spun around to see Wally bouncing small wads of paper off his neck.

"Dude, did you hear that?" The hyper boy whispered as softly as he could. "I'm going to be working with that cutie, Jinx! I've been trying to think of a way to approach her since freshman year. The senior gods are with us!"

Speedy shook his head and laughed nonchalantly, "Yeah, and while you're cozying up with the pink haired witch, I'll be stuck receiving death glares from the violet haired bit—"

"What was that, Sunny D?" Speedy slowly faced forward and looked right into Raven's squinted eyes as she stood over him.

Speedy scratched his arm awkwardly and managed to squeak out, "Um, Raven," he giggled nervously and continued, "what's up?"

Raven mean mugged the redhead and stated, "Mr. Mod told us to get together with our group and figure out the roles and schedule, and I couldn't help but hear your little complaint."

"This is going to be wicked," Jinx snickered as she walked over. Everyone thought she was some sort of witch, but she preferred to be called Wiccan. She didn't do any of that evil hocus pocus most people suspected she did. Raven had always been a good friend of hers, and she knew this would be an interesting experience to say the least.

"Hey, Jinx!" Kid Flash rushed out cheerfully. There wasn't a shy bone in his body.

Jinx didn't know whether to smile or not. No one with good intentions ever spoke to her. "Uh, hey, Wally."

"The bell's about to ring, what's the plan?" Raven eyed her three coworkers.

Kid Flash instantly opened his mouth, "Well, conveniently you and I are neighbors and Speedy spends a lot of time at my house anyway, so we can just meet at my place around 6 and do all the fancy stuff there."

"Why so late?" Jinx questioned with her arms folded. "You guys aren't going to roofie us or anything right?"

The buddies burst out into laughter and choked out, "No," together.

"We have track practice and meets during the week. States is the week before graduation, and Speeds and I have to win gold in all our events. It's our last meet as high schoolers!" And with that last sentence, the bell rang. "So, party at my house. See you guys there?"

"Duh, Wally," Raven sighed at her longtime friend.

"Can't wait!" he winked at her and Jinx as him and Speedy sprinted out the door.

Raven shook her head at the ground, "This is going to be a long two weeks."

"Hey, Raven." Raven froze at the sound of his voice. It always managed to bring butterflies to her stomach. "Can I talk to you for a sec?"

"Sure, Robin. What's up?"

"I know it's out of character and all, but remember when you said I should get out and date more?" Robin said kind of uneasily.

' _I was talking about with me dummy_ ,' Raven screamed in her head. "Yeah," she murmured aloud, her heart sinking to her feet. It had been almost two years since Raven realized she loved Robin more than a friend, but she knew she hid it so well no one even suspected.

"Well, since Kori and I are basically being forced to work together, I figured maybe I should ask her out. Any advice?"

Raven tried to hide a frown and said, "I thought Star and Aqualad were getting pretty close. They're practically a couple."

Now, Robin was the one hiding a sneaky frown. "Well, they're not official yet, so there's still a chance. And may the best man win!" He was starting to feel excited and all competitive as usual. He was going to do whatever it took to win Starfire's heart over.

"Chill, Boy Blunder," Raven waved, bothered. "She's just a girl."

 _And you're just a girl_ , she thought, _a girl in love with her best friend._

 **Author's Note: I've already typed up eleven chapters for this story, so I'd never leave y'all hanging or waiting a year for a new chapter, so I hope people actually like it lol. If so, then yay. If not, then I'll still upload at least every week. Someday someone will appreciate it. I'm uploading two chapters today, because I can't tell if this one was boring or not. But I digress! Review! No flames :)**

 **-Raven**


	2. Nighttime Breakfast at Wally's

**Disclaimer: I don't think I own much of anything.**

2\. Nighttime Breakfast at Wally's

It took a lot of willpower for Raven to put down her enticing, dark novel just to saunter over to Wally's house and be surrounded by fools all night long. Wally had been her best friend and neighbor since they were babies, so they'd always been close and used to each other. By himself, Wally was significantly less annoying _and more charming_ than when he was with the bane of Raven's existence, Speedy. He actually knew how to be funny without being annoying, and she allowed him to take her to places* and events she never would have went to on her own. In other words, Wally was her fun friend. The one who was always like 'let's go to a concert or jet-skiing or hiking'. The 'let's go somewhere we've never been' type of friend to Raven. Speedy's idea of fun was putting someone in a chokehold, leaving superglue in a desk, or having a one man orgy with a group of lesbians. Speedy just brought Kid Flash's maturity level way down.

And while Kid Flash was her 'opposites attract' best friend, Robin was her more serious, intellectual best friend. The one who was most like her. He too lived next door to Raven, but unlike them with her, Robin and Kid Flash never clicked as well. However, they had a mutual relationship due to their closeness to Raven.

Raven held up her fist to knock on the door, but before her skin could even come in contact with the wood, it swung open.

Wally stood their leaning with his elbow on the door frame and his palm on his face, "Now Raven," he smirked, "you know you don't have to knock." Raven glared at him and walked into the large, two story mansion. Their whole neighborhood was filled with large, grand manors. This one was nothing different.

"Where are the others?" Raven asked as she followed Kid Flash into the library slash computer lab slash anything-related-to-technology-that-you-could-possibly-need-for-research lab. It was twice the size of the school library and looked like it deserved a building of its own.

"Speedy's in here somewhere, and Jinx hasn't come in yet," he said as he plopped into one of the comfy seats at the table they were going to be working at tonight.

"You mean she hasn't flown in yet," Speedy cackled aggravatingly, but then immediately went back to his usual grimace as he came around the corner of a bookshelf with his arms folded.

Raven sniffed silently and noticed the air smelled of breakfast. "Why does it smell so much like pig fat in here?"

"Welllllll," Wally stood up abruptly and finished so fast Raven could barely understand, "My parents are at work as usual, and you know I kind of annoyed our chef into quitting yesterday, and I figured you guys would be hungry, but I can't cook anything other than breakfast foods, so I whipped up a ton of bacon, sausage, ham, eggs, and toast. Not much, but something right?" After what seemed like ten seconds, he was finished with a large grin on his face.

"Wally, why do you ta—"

"You want some? I'll go fix you a plate!" And with that he was out of the room leaving Speedy and Raven to swallow the silence.

Raven studied her current roommate and thought to herself, _'When did Sunny D get so…"_ She couldn't allow herself to say the word _handsome_ , but deep down she knew that's what she wanted to say. He was still in his formfitting track uniform that revealed every curve of his lean, muscular body and hard rock abs. Even though she made fun of his orange hair, it complemented his strong jawline and light brown almost amber eyes perfectly. He, like Robin, liked to keep his eyes hidden. He never seemed to take off his sports goggles. Raven figured it just made the two of them feel mysterious.

All of a sudden, _plop!_ before she could even realize she was staring at the ground, she looked up and discovered that Speedy had taken a seat and plopped his long feet on top of the table she was occupying. She shot a quick glance at his face, but turned away as soon as she realized the sneakiness his smile exposed.

"Sooo, you know what they say about big feet, huh?" Raven rolled her eyes at his remark and looked at him once again. He was still smiling at her with the same sneakiness and a raised eyebrow.

Before Raven could respond, Kid Flash walked in with his pink haired crush and a tray of food. "Look who I found!"

"Oh great. The star of The Craft is here," Speedy exhaled. Before they knew it, Jinx and Speedy were arguing and insulting each other so loudly, Kid Flash's projected voice couldn't even speak over them.

"At least, I'm not popping pills to cure chlamydia for the second time this year!"

"Well, at least I'm not trying so hard to look like Glenda the Good Witch when I clearly look like the Wicked Witch of the West!"

Raven and Wally couldn't do anything, but watch. Their eyes and heads followed whoever was speaking, sometimes getting confused, because they were yelling at the same time.

Jinx stood on her tip toes and tried to get as close to Speedy's eyes as she could. She squinted her own eyes and grunted, "You look like your favorite show is My Little Pony."

Speedy slammed his fist on the wooden, brown table, face turning red. "Take it back," he snarled almost inaudibly.

"Enough," Raven finally said calmly. "We have work to do that doesn't include you two arguing. We have to work as a team these next couple weeks so you might as well get along." Raven kept telling herself the same thing over and over again before coming over.

' _Easier done than said_ ,' Raven surprisingly thought to herself. For some reason, she was actually a tad teensy eensy weensy bit eager to work with Roy. In all their four years of high school and years before that, they'd never interacted as much as they had today.

Everything was silent for a moment until Speedy finally mumbled, "Fine, Ms. Roth. What's our punishment?"

Raven ignored him and looked at Wally and Jinx. "I want to write the script. Forbidden love is my forte. Plus, I already have ideas bubbling in my head," Jinx stated excitedly as she rubbed her hands together.

' _Pft, and in your cauldron,'_ Speedy thought and continued to mean mug everyone with his arms folded and eyebrows furrowed.

Out of nowhere, Wally sped to a cabinet and pulled out a video camera and sped back to where he'd been standing before in under twenty seconds. They all looked at him with big eyes as he smiled with no sign of being out of breath.

"And I'll record and all that yada, yada dealing with the effects and stuff. Photography is one of my many hobbies," he rushed assuredly.

Raven immediately began shaking her head. They all looked at her dumbly as she continued to shake her head, but she couldn't get any words out.

"What is it, Rae?" Kid Flash questioned worriedly.

Raven finally managed to spit out, "That leaves Roy and me to be Romeo and Juliet, and there's no way I could even fake being in a romantic relationship with him."

Speedy shot up out his seat and said in what he thought was a Shakespearean voice, " _To be or not to be_ ," he paused and then in his own nonchalant voice, "is not your decision, Rae-Rae. KF and Sabrina here already chose their roles."

Jinx grimaced at his insult, but before she could say anything, Kid Flash said in a shockingly calm manner, "Besides, Raven, you and Speeds as star-crossed lovers is brilliant. You too couldn't be more different. Duh, your relationship would be forbidden. It's the perfect love story."

Jinx was the next to stand up, her eyes lighting up and her face to the ceiling. "Yes! I can see it now. Half human, half demon falls in a love with the son of a priest. It's perfect!"

Raven looked at Jinx with harsh eyes. "Why do I have to be half—"

"Son of a priest!" Speedy shouted. "You mean I have to act all holy and stuff? We all know I'm far from holy."

"Obviously, Speedy," Kid Flash sneered at his best friend, "that's why it's called _acting_."

"Fine." Speedy plopped his behind back in the wooden seat. "Can we at least kiss or something?"

"No, no, no—"

"You two will just have to wait till I finish the script to see how the story's going to go," Jinx once again interrupted Raven as Speedy had done just a minute before. Raven sighed and put her face in her palm. This was going to be a long project.

"Make sure you put me some enticing pickup lines in there. That way all the girls will be swooning over me after class." Speedy relaxed and placed his hands behind his head.

Jinx shook her head in disbelief and asked, "Roy, how do you get so many girls with that—that attitude of yours?"

Speedy smiled at Raven causing her heart to race much to her dismay and then looked back at Jinx. "Wellll," he paused slyly, "you know what they say about big feet, right?"

"What are you stressing over now, Boy Blunder," Raven mumbled as she sat next to Robin in the computer lab the next day after school. He was staring hard at the webpages, and his face was barely centimeters from the screen. His fingers were moving up and down ferociously as he punched keys on the keyboard.

Robin continued to type and grunted, "I'm writing up a tentative itinerary for my life after graduation." Then, he rushed more quickly. "Also, I'm googling unique ways to ask a girl to prom." Raven almost didn't catch the last sentence, but when she realized what was said her heart dropped. She tried to let out a chuckle, but it sounded more like a growl.

Robin blushed and scratched the back of his neck, embarrassed. "Yeah, I kind of heard that Kori doesn't have a date to prom, so I'm going to ask her. I don't want to do anything too big, but nothing too small. You wanna help me figure something out?" He turned and grinned at his best friend, but she just stared at him expressionlessly. His smile immediately vanished.

"She isn't going with Aqualad?" Raven asked, hoping Robin would sigh dumbly after realizing Garth had probably already asked Kori.

Robin perked up again, almost like a dog. "Apparently, Garth has to work that night. Sooo unfortunate for him."

' _Sooo unfortunate for me,'_ Raven thought. Originally, she hadn't planned on attending prom, but for a second she figured she might as well go as a friend with Richard since neither had a date. She figured it was the universe's way of allowing them to go on a "real" date without Raven having to grow some balls and ask. Now, that was probably about to change, and she couldn't help but feel disappointed.

"I got it!" he exclaimed out of nowhere.

The computer lab facilitator eyed him irritably and mumbled, "Keep it down, Mr. Grayson."

"Sorry," Robin whispered and then whispered a little louder, "I can get her cheerleader friends to spell it out and do all that fancy stuff cheerleaders do! She'd love that being the captain and all."

Raven thought about how romantic that would be and closed her violet eyes. "That's a great idea, Richard."

Robin frowned and looked at Raven apprehensively. "Richard? You never call me that, Rae." Raven looked at the ground. She couldn't stand to look at his frowning face. She hated seeing him unhappy or anything like it, and seeing that only made her heart frown more.

"Yeah, I kn—"

"What's wrong, Raven?" he placed his large, masculine hand on her knee and tried to look into her eyes. Raven shook her head _nothing_ , swiftly looked at his face, and then just as fast, looked back to the ground. "You know you can talk to me about anything. No matter the topic."

Robin was right. She could talk to him about anything, and he was the only person she told everything and vice versa for him. Well, almost everything. Of course he was oblivious to the fact that she was deeply in love with him.

"I just need my tea," she finally spoke up. With Robin's constantly hectic schedule, he wanted to make sure they never became distant with each other. So, every Tuesday, no matter the time, they went to the 24-hour café around the corner and just caught up with each other.

Robin smiled softly, a little disappointed that Raven couldn't tell him what was wrong. She usually did, so this was new to him.

' _Does she think I'll judge her?'_ he thought and then smiled even more. "Well, let's go get that tea."

 **AN: Well…I hope y'all like it. It's going to get much more interesting as time goes on—well in my head it will lol—and the chapters are going to be longer. I hope the characters are as much like their television counterparts as they can be. Oh! The astericks are hints for a big secret that will be discovered in the future! It's nothing that big I guess, but maybe you guys can guess the secret. It'll be fun to see. Anyway, I hope you guys continue to read it. Please review and have a great day! :)**

 **-Raven**


	3. Teardrops on My Guitar

3\. Teardrops on My Guitar

" _Drew (Robin) looks at me; I fake a smile so he won't see that I want and I'm needing everything that we should be. I'll bet she's beautiful, that girl he talks about. And she's got everything that I have to live without." – Taylor Swift_

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the Teen Titans or the rights to any song references.**

"Yeah, can I get my usual black coffee with coconut milk and a hint of cinnamon?"

' _Robin has the weirdest food and drink combos,'_ Raven thought as the waiter nodded at her friend and then turned to her.

"And you, Miss?"

"I'll get my usual herbal tea." The waiter nodded again and trotted away in his heavy no-slip work boots.

Robin smirked and joked, "Why don't you try something new, Rae? It might be rewarding."

"Do you ever try anything new?" Raven raised an eyebrow as his smirk fell.

Then, he said in a smart alecky way, "Well, I am trying this whole dating thing. It's been an interesting thing I must say."

' _It's already been a thing?!'_ Raven screamed in her head. He hadn't told her about any recent dates. Her bile riled in her body furiously. "You've been on a few dates already?"

"Yeah," he said happily. "I finally gave Kitten a chance last Saturday. Everyone knows she's had a crush on me forever. But let me just say, that was the worst mistake ever. She was as annoying and self-absorbed as she is in school. Plus, she kept calling me that God-awful nickname, Robbie-Poo. I couldn't even finish the date!"

"Here's your coffee, and here's your tea." The waiter arrived back at the table and placed their beverages in front of them. They both picked up their mugs and sipped simultaneously. Things like that happened often with them. As kids, the fact they were so much alike made them giggle, but now they were so used to it they never gave it a second thought.

Raven let out a mental sigh of relief and wondered out loud, "So, who was the other lucky girl?"

' _Really, Raven? Did you seriously just say_ lucky _girl?'_ Now, she was mentally scolding herself.

"Oh, this girl I met off Tinder named, believe it or not, Barbara—"

"And I thought you guys' names were old-fashioned," Raven murmured with a monotone voice.

"Yeah, and get this, her friends call her Batgirl cause she likes to sleep during the day," Robin stated as if it was the most amusing thing in the world.

"Innttterrresting," Raven dragged dryly. "How'd that go?"

"It was awesome!" he answered joyfully. Raven looked away before he could see any hurt in her eyes. "But…idk. Something just didn't click with her which is why I'm pursuing, Star. Honestly, I've had a crush on her for about a year now. Just don't know if she likes me back." Raven didn't think this night could get any worse. She never would've guessed that one of these Tuesdays they would be sitting there discussing Robin's dating life. They both usually worried about more important things like school, extracurricular activities, and their usual friends. This was going to take some getting used to.

"Have you guys began on your project yet?" Robin shook his head up and down at her question. "Did you talk to her?"

"Ehh," Robin twisted his mouth nervously, "no. Every time I had the opportunity, my words got stuck and Beast Boy ended up saying what I was thinking. He and Terra are playing Odysseus and Penelope while I'm just the stupid camera boy." He folded his arms and rolled his eyes, angry with himself for being so scared.

"Just talk to her. You know work your charm," Raven assured him. "You're Richard Grayson. It's not hard for girls to fall for you." Raven let out a deep breath, sure that, once again, Robin wouldn't catch that hint.

Robin beamed, thankful that Raven always found a way to give him confidence. "You're right, Raven. So, how's your project going with Wally, Jinx, and uh what's his face?" Speedy and Robin never got along due to the fact that they were both hotheaded, extremely competitive, and slightly cocky-Speedy more than his rival. Robin was the basketball star; Speedy was a track star. They both were ladies' men, but in totally different ways. Robin was unintentional, and often turned the girls down in a humble manner while Speedy happily accepted the groupies. Their popularities just clashed.

"Speedy? It's going pretty smoothly I guess," Raven said, suddenly feeling butterflies in her stomach from the thought of Roy.

And then as if on cue, the entire track team waltzed in the café with medals clinking on their chests. Raven instantaneously put her face in her palms hoping Roy and Wally wouldn't notice her. But who could miss that violet hair?

Suddenly, she heard the chairs closest to them screeching the floor. "Hey, Raven! Hey, Robin!" Wally screeched along with them.

Raven let out a sigh of relief assuming that it was only Wally, but before she could even fully lift her head up she heard, "What's up, Gem? _Hey, Robbie-Poo_ ," in that enticing voice.

Robin folded his arms for the second time and puffed, "Who is Gem? And don't call me that!"

"Raven obviously," Speedy said matter-of-factly.

Wally turned up one corner of his lip and looked at his friend funnily. "Where'd you get that name from, Speeds?"

Then, Roy stated coolly, "Raven's eyes are like this pretty amethyst color and amethyst are gems, so boom."

" _You_ think my/her eyes are pretty?!" Raven and Robin unanimously yelled at the boy, astounded.

Finally, Speedy became embarrassed. He didn't want anyone to think he was actually beginning to like a girl. All throughout high school, he'd been the player, the hot bachelor everyone wanted a piece of. He couldn't fall for a girl now.

He rubbed his hair nervously and choked out, "So, Raven, since we have to be a romantic couple and all for the video, I was thinking maybe we should do some romantic stuff if you know what I mean."

"Ugh," Raven grunted. For a second, she thought Speedy might've actually thought of her as more than just a booty call. "How was the track meet, Wally?"

"Marvelous I must say. Speeds and I won gold in all our events," Kid Flash happily answered as Speedy shook his gold medals in Robin's face.

"Yeah, Robbie-Poo. We're going to be state champs unlike the basketball team," Speedy added. Robin's face instantly scrunched up as it began to match the two newcomers' hair color. The state championship game was a sore topic for Robin. They made it to the final game which had been close the whole night. They were winning by one point when Robin fouled the other team right at the five second mark of the fourth quarter, allowing them to get two free throws. The other team made the free throws with no trouble which in turn helped them win the game. That day would scar him forever.

"What makes you think you have the right to call me that?" Robin snapped. He was getting frustrated and Speedy noticed, so he decided to it egg it on.

"Well," Speedy chuckled evilly, "Kitten told me about you guys' little rendezvous Saturday. She said you were so horrible in bed that she just got up in the middle and left."

Raven's heart stopped. He didn't tell her about that little detail, but then again why would we he? Well, big detail.

"What!?" Robin managed to get out. He had a crazy look on his face, and he just wanted to round kick the smirk off Speedy's.

"Yeah, Robbie-Poo. Then, she said you followed her to the door begging her not to go while jacking off," Speedy began cackling and slamming his fists on the table. Kid Flash looked at Robin uneasily, feeling out of place. Then, he looked at Raven who seemed like she was close to exploding.

"Yeah," Speedy continued, "so I basically had to finish her off for you, Boy Blunder."

"That's a lie!" Robin growled, and then said loud enough to silence the whole café, "I'm a virgin!"

Everyone eyed him funnily. It was so quiet you could hear the steady rhythm of everyone's breath. Then, unsurprisingly, Speedy broke the silence with even more laughter. Soon, mostly everyone except his companions at the table joined him. He didn't expect Robin to say that, especially so loudly. His goal of infuriating Robin was complete.

"Um, come on let's get back to the team, Speedy," Kid Flash stopped his friend's chuckles and stood up. "See y'all later."

Robin slumped in his chair and looked up at his best friend. She was watching him with pity. Then, to both of their surprise, she picked up his hand off the table and held it in her own. "It's going to be okay, Robin. Come on let's go." She dropped a ten dollar bill on the table and motioned for him to follow her.

Outside, Robin put his hands in his pocket and looked at the ground. "Thanks, Raven. For always being there."

Raven smiled a small smile at the concrete and quietly said, "No problem."

"Hey, wanna go to the park down the street?" he randomly threw out.

Raven looked at him with eagerness in her eyes. It had been awhile since they last went to the park. Up until about sophomore year, it was a common hangout for them. She shook her head up and down to signal _yes_.

All of a sudden, "Last one there is a rotten egg!" Robin took off down the street leaving his friend in the dust. Raven rolled her eyes and tried to catch up to him, but he beat her there. He wasted no time running to the monkey bars. They were always his favorite as a kid, and he always had the upper body strength to get all the way across.

Raven laughed as her friend stepped off the steps and realized that his feet were touching the ground. He kicked his feet back and tried to swing, but realized it was no use. He was way too tall.

"Give up," she continued her dry chuckle. "You're too big!"

Robin grinned devilishly and yelled, "I know one thing you're never too big for!" He took off towards the slide and climbed up the steps. Soon as he sat down, he realized firstly that his long body took up the whole slide and then secondly that he was too wide.

"Well, I guess you proved yourself wrong." The mysterious girl walked over with a smirk.

"Uh, Raven," the spiky haired teen started nervously, "I think I'm stuck." Raven shook her head at her rarely silly friend and plopped her foot in between his feet at the end of the slide. She grabbed his hands and started pulling towards her, but the boy wouldn't budge. She struggled and struggled but it was like his jeans were gripping to the sides of the slide.

Suddenly, she slipped in the mud at the end of the slide, but instead of falling backwards, she fell forward. Right into Robin's chest…Whatever feelings of embarrassment would've normally taken over her, vanished the moment she inhaled the smell of his manly, musky Gucci Guilty cologne and felt the hard rock-ness of his abs underneath her hands. She could feel his nose in her hair and wondered if he was enjoying her scent as much as she was enjoying his.

"Um, Raven," Robin broke her dreamy state. "Are you okay?"

Raven immediately stood up and tried not to slip in the mud again. "Yeah, I'm fine." She walked over to the back of the slide and pushed him as hard as she could until finally he managed to get up. The whole time she didn't say a word, because of the awkward moment they'd just experienced.

Robin hated the awkwardness, so he tried to break it, "I bet we're not too big for the swings. Beat you to them!" He took off again this time towards the swings, but once they sat down, the awkward silence captured them for the second time. The full moon was shining brightly, illuminating both of their somber faces.

"I think Speedy likes you," Robin blurted out spontaneously.

Raven's eyes were saucers. _'What made him say that?'_ she thought then asked out loud.

"He basically said your eyes were pretty, and I think we all know it's not usually girls' eyes Speedy's paying attention to." Robin was right yet wrong. Raven had also noticed that, but she also noticed that he'd hinted sex more than once to her.

"Yeah, but yesterday he asked me if I know what they say about big feet which he has and then you heard what he said in the café today."

Robin observed the grass quietly as his swing moved close to the ground. For some reason, he just had this empty feeling in his heart when he thought of Raven with Speedy. He hated the idea of them even talking let alone sleeping together. Yet, he didn't know why. He believed it was a reason deeper than the fact that he just didn't like Speedy. He had a similar feeling last year when Raven was dating this guy named Malchior.

 _Flashback_

" _Hey, punk! Leave her alone!" Robin burst into a movie theater seconds after Raven and Malchior. The previews weren't playing and the lights were still on so everyone there could see his face loud and clear._

" _Robin, what are you doing here?!" Raven exclaimed angrily. Robin had shamefully been following Raven the whole date. He bribed Beast Boy with the idea of starting a vegetarian club into helping him play detective/stalker. He had told himself over and over that he was doing it just to make sure she was okay. Boys always had a way of breaking his friend's heart, and if it was up to him, it was never going to happen again._

" _Yeah, Robin. Why are you here?" Malchior narrowed his eyes._

" _You shut up! She doesn't look very happy to be here!" Robin walked over to them with his fists balled up. "Did he force you here, Rae?"_

 _Raven looked at her friend with a murderous tinge in her eye. "No, Dick." Beast Boy just stood quietly, so he wouldn't catch the rage._

" _Then, why haven't you cracked a smile? You've been frowning and grimacing the whole night!"_

" _How would you know that?!" Raven screamed, even more infuriated than before._

 _But before Robin could answer, Malchior explained. "I bet her that she would smile and laugh more than once by the end of the night. Loser has to pay for the next date, and let's just say, she really doesn't want to pay for the next date."_

 _Out of nowhere, Robin pulled his arm back and swung his fist at Malchior's nose. Red droplets instantly started dripping down the boy's face. Before they knew it, they were wrestling and swinging fists while rolling down the aisle. The spectators watched and cheered on with excitement, glad they got to see two movies. Eventually the two boys slammed into the screen causing it to tremble. Then, the security swooped in and escorted them both out of the theater, leaving Raven to watch the horror movie with a squealing Beast Boy._

 _End of Flashback_

Robin scratched his chin and chalked his past and present feelings up to his urge to overprotect his friend. He hated seeing her hurt; that's all. Finally, he responded to her last statement, "You know how guys are. He's probably just trying to play off the fact that he likes you. Just watch out, Rae. Who knows what he's capable of."

Raven furrowed her eyebrows, remembering what happened last year with Malchior. "Even if Speedy did try something, I can defend and take care of myself, Robin."

Robin grinned at her defensiveness. "Yeah, you're right." Then something else crossed his mind. "Hey, you will be there for moral support huh?"

"Be where?" Raven asked curiously.

"In the courtyard when I ask Kori to prom? You know the whole promposal thing."

' _Damn,'_ flew through Raven's head. She had forgotten about Kori and all the other girls for a moment. In her head, the only girl that mattered to him right now was her. "Of course I'll be there," she lied. She didn't know how or what, but she was going to find some kind of way to miss it. There's no telling how she would react if she had to stand there and watch Kor

i say yes.

"Yay," he said sort of happily and stood off the swing. "Last one back to the café is a rotten egg!"


	4. Obsession

4\. Obsession

 **Disclaimer: I don't own the song or the Titans.**

" _Just thinking 'bout you baby got me twisted in the head. And I don't know how to take it, but it's driving me so crazy. I don't know if it's right; I'm tossing turning in my bed. It's 5 o'clock in the morning, and I still can't sleep. Thinking 'bout your beauty it makes me weep." – Frankie J_

"Argh," Speedy growled and pulled the covers over his head. He sighed and rolled over to find his phone. He clicked the home button and discovered that it was 4:37 in the A.M. He had been tossing and turning and sleeping on and off all night. He kept replaying that scene from the café over and over in his head. However, for the life of him, he couldn't figure out why the only thing his mind was focusing on was Raven. And her beautiful, innocent face. As he tortured Robin, she looked at him with so much dislike and annoyance. The moment he told them what Kitten had said the Saturday before, he caught a flicker of hurt in her eyes. He knew Kitten had been lying as she always did, but he always put up with it because he liked the tightness of her butt and the way she screamed his name. He enjoyed watching Robin squirm, but the moment he felt the sadness radiating from his newfound crush, he regretted it. Yet, he didn't take it back. He knew that would be against his character, and they would all suspect something.

"She probably thinks I'm an animal," he groaned to himself and sat up straight in his queen-sized bed. His bare chest was heaving up and down fast with anxiety. He fell back on the mattress and closed his eyes, but sleep just wouldn't find him, especially after—

"Oh, yeah!" he heard his mom moan sensually.

' _I guess Mom's finally home,'_ he thought to himself and covered his ears. This was nothing new for him. He'd realized where he'd gotten his sexual promiscuity from long ago. However, he knew his mother did it just for fun, but he wasn't so sure about himself. She was always bringing various men home at different hours of the night. But he couldn't tell if he did it just because he really liked being inside of a girl or because it was a way out of reality.

Roy had always been the poorest one of his friends. He lived on a different side of town in a small, creaky, two story home with only one bathroom and no extra bedrooms. He rode the bus to school while all the other seniors and juniors drove. Wally usually brought him home if he could. His mom was always either working or picking up guys, and his father had perished years ago in a car accident. That's why track was his life. He had to get a scholarship to Steel University or he didn't know what he was going to be doing with his life after graduation.

"Ugh!" he groaned again and knocked his head on the headboard. Today was going to be a long day.

"Where's Speedy?" Raven tried to say as nonchalantly as possible. She didn't want her other two partners to think she cared that he was missing. It was seventh period, and Mr. Mod had allowed the class to go to the library to work on their projects. Each group sat at their own respective table, and it just so happened Robin's group's table was right next to them. She couldn't help but notice he and Starfire were really enjoying each other's company. Whenever Kori laughed at something Gar said, she'd put a hand on Robin's shoulder, and he'd turn the color of her hair.

Kid Flash sighed, put his elbow on the table, and his chin in his palm. "We all know Speedy's probably somewhere in the janitor's closet with a naïve freshman. Of course he doesn't care about us or our grades." He casually placed his head inside his arms on top of the table. Raven and Jinx began to think that sometimes Speedy even got on his own best friend's nerves.

"Sorry, I'm late guys," Speedy hectically rushed in and threw his backpack on the table. His sunny hair was disheveled and his sporty clothes were beyond wrinkled. Even his red Converses were untied. "I fell asleep in sixth period, and no decent human being decided to wake me up when the bell rang."

They all looked at him doubtfully with aggravated pink, violet, and blue eyes. "Yeah…right," Jinx exhaled and tapped her fingers impatiently on the wood.

Speedy narrowed his eyes and started, "Don't—"

"Wally, can you tell your friend not to be an asshole today? You know, ask him to be more charming like you." Jinx looked at her crush-since-Monday who was blushing candy apple red. She felt a rush go through her body, surprised that she was able to make him do that. He was even cuter when he was red-faced. It brought out his deep blue eyes more.

On the other side of the table, Speedy was frowning, but it wasn't an angry or even frustrated frown. It was almost sort of a disheartened or mortified frown. Raven was the only one who picked up on it as the lightning bolt and sorceress got lost in each other's eyes. Yet, she couldn't find the words to say, so she just watched him in deep thought.

' _Does everyone really think I'm that much of an a-hole?'_ Roy's heart shivered. Was he really that bad? He couldn't be. He just liked making people laugh and making himself feel good, but in the end he just came out looking like a conceited manwhore.

"We forgive you, Roy," Raven snapped everybody back into reality. "Even if you were really in the janitor's closet. Jinx, did you finish the script?"

"No, guys, I'm serious," Speedy blurted before Jinx could answer. "I didn't get any sleep last night."

"Oh wow. You either?" Wally enquired sarcastically and cut his eyes at the library window.

"What is your problem, Wally?" Speedy grunted. Who was being the butthole now? "Either you're Tigger, bouncing around all happy and hyper or just being a hard dick with no cunt to poke. You bipolar or something?" They all wriggled under his dirty words. Vocabulary like that always made it obvious that Speedy was used to a different way of life than theirs.

They don't know exactly what possessed him to do it, but sooner or later Kid Flash's hand was sliding across his own face in a slap. He looked at his friend apologetically and stated, "My bad, Speeds. I didn't get much sleep either thanks to my thoughts of this beauty right here."

Raven couldn't tell if she was disgusted by Wally's extra cheesiness or happy that someone actually liked Jinx for being Jinx. Either way, she watched it all in amusement. Speedy shook his head, frustrated that he couldn't reveal the source of his sleeplessness. He still felt as if she probably hated him, and he was scared to ask her straight up if she actually did.

"You guys wanna read the scripts? I think we should probably pick up props and costumes tonight." Jinx handed a copy of the script to each of them. They all read silently. Kid Flash seemed amused while Raven looked disturbed, and Speedy's face formed a small smile. Their characters were definitely the modern day Romeo and Juliet.

"Where did these God awful names come from?" Raven deadpanned. "And do I really have to say I love him _and_ kiss him?"

Jinx hmphed and explained, "I picked the name Roman, because his dad is the priest of a Roman Catholic Church. I got Julia from Julia Roberts who played a prostitute, much like your character, in Pretty Woman. And—"

"And, yes, you have to confess your love to me while simultaneously French kissing me," Speedy said coolly, clearly back to his normal self. "It's Romeo and Juliet; you kind of have to be overdramatic, Gem."

Raven clenched her teeth, trying her best not to pierce them through Roy's skin out of anger. "Stop calling me Gem!"

"Okay, Gem."

"Ugh! I—"

"Um, I think you meant Roman and Julia, Speedy," Kid Flash ended their confrontation with a chuckle and placed an arm around an unexpected Jinx.

"Oh, yeah," Speedy smirked and casually placed his arm around Raven like it was normal, trying to mimic the bright haired couple across from them. Unsurprisingly, Raven smacked it off as fast as she could, even though she sort of liked the feeling. Being arounds boys was so confusing at times, especially when more than one of them had a special effect on you.

Jinx all of a sudden grew an evil grin on her face. "You know, originally, I thought we should all go find your costumes and stuff together. Now," she tapped her fingers, "I'm thinking KF and I should go shop for props while you two go shop for your costumes."

Without warning, Kid Flash removed his arm from her shoulder excitedly, making her miss his warm touch. "Yeah! Matter of fact, since the acting portion is such a big percentage of our grades, you guys need to do some bonding. We can start recording next Monday and wrap it up by Wednesday!"

"That gives you guys the rest of the week to learn to get along."

Speedy and Raven looked at Jinx and Wally with blank faces. Them, bonding? That was going to be a difficult challenge. However, the two non-actors couldn't help but smile as Speedy's face morphed into a sly grin and Raven's into a small smirk.

' _This is going to be fun,'_ they thought.

The setting sun was still beaming hard when they arrived to the mall after Speedy's track practice. Neither of them really wanted to get out the car, but Roy was excited for this outing. He'd never been alone with Raven, and after she'd been on his mind all night, this was a great way to end the day, especially after a hardcore day at practice. He hopped out the car a millisecond after she parked and swaggered over to her door. He opened it and smirked with his arms folded.

"Wow," Raven said sarcastically, "and I thought chivalry was dead."

Speedy watched as she gracefully stepped out of the car with her black, combat boots. Today she was wearing black skinny jeans and a baggy, blue hoodie. She always dressed casual and comfy.

"It is. I'm just one of a kind," he mouthed confidently. Then, Raven did the most wonderful thing in Speedy's eyes. She smiled, and enormously, too. His eyes grew the size of her tires.

"That was actually funny, Sunny D." And with that, she began walking towards the mall, her mid-back length, violet hair flying in the breeze. Speedy stood behind, dumbfounded. "You coming or what?"

When they got inside, Speedy had the most brilliant idea. "I got an idea!" he exclaimed and stopped in his tracks in the middle of the food court.

"Yippee." Raven rolled her eyes and continued walking.

He caught up with her again and asked, "This is supposed to be a bonding thing, right?" Raven shook her head up and down, signaling him to continue. "Well, how about I pick your outfits and you pick mine? Gives us a chance to get to know each other's style."

Raven stared at him for a minute, thinking, and then came up with a simple answer, "No."

"Aww, come on, Gem. It'll be fun," he practically got on his knees and begged, but of course the pretty boy wouldn't actually get on the floor and dirty up his sweatpants.

Raven chuckled inside, but didn't dare show her amusement on the outside. "Only if you stop calling me, Gem."

Speedy gave her his signature sneaky grin and mocked, "Okay, Beautiful." Raven turned redder than she ever imagined she could and put on her hood to hide her face.

"Where to first?" she mumbled rhetorically, but he still picked up on it.

He put his fist under his chin as if he was pondering, but he had been thinking of the store the moment Jinx said something about finding costumes. "How about that new store, 50 Shades of Sexy?" Raven glared at him, but began walking towards the fairly new store with her hood still covering her head. Speedy rubbed his hands together deviously and walked beside her.

"Have you lost your mind?" Raven growled as Speedy threw a black, strapless, bandage dress at her. She threw it back and smacked him in the nose.

He picked the mini dress off the ground and let out a cackle, "What's wrong, Rae? At least I picked black, right?"

"It's too tight! It'll show every curve on my body!"

"That's kind of the point, Raven. You're supposed to be a slut," Speedy sighed at the prudish girl.

"I don't do dresses," she roared once again.

Speedy put his hands up in defense. He placed the dress back on the rack and walked around the store, searching for the next best thing. "I think I might've found something better." Raven looked up from the floor to see him holding denim, cutoff shorts and a sleeveless, white crop top.

"I—"

Before she could protest, he argued, "It's supposed to be like Pretty Woman, huh? You can wear fishnets, black thigh high boots, and a big red jacket."

"I—"

"Maybe one of my big red jackets." He winked and said, "So, what do you say?"

Raven scratched the back of her neck under her hair and mumbled, "I don't know. I have to try it on first." Speedy practically threw the outfit at her and pushed her to the dressing room.

Raven slowly locked the door and glanced at herself in the mirror. Did she always look so dark and frumpy?

' _And plain,'_ she thought and let her head down. She knew he would want to see her in the new outfit, and she would be nearly naked in it. She was actually nervous about him seeing the body she often hid under baggy clothes.

"You know, time is money," Speedy bossed on the other side of the door. She could see his track cleats tapping rapidly. "Don't make me look under there."

"That's fine. If you're prepared to be castrated," Raven joked dryly. "And I don't think your groupies will like that."

"I don't have groupies!" he challenged. Even he knew he was lying. Raven just ignored him and slipped out of her clothes and into the more revealing ones. She looked at herself in the mirror and took a deep breath before she slowly opened the door.

"Damn," Speedy mumbled almost inaudibly. He let his arms fall to his side as he gawked at the beauty. He'd never noticed how round and perky her breasts were and how flat of a tummy she had. Even more surprisingly, she had a Jennifer Lopez behind. Plump and real.

"Say something!" she cried out. She was starting to feel like the whole world was staring at her, and it was making her anxious. She didn't want to break out a sweat in clothes she hadn't even paid for yet.

"I'm honestly speechless," he whispered truthfully.

"It's that bad," she mumbled, then said angrily, "I knew I shouldn't have let you chose." She tried to open the door, but Speedy immediately placed his hand on it and slammed it shut.

"No, Raven. You look amazing," he assured her. He was literally in awe. "Why do you hide under all that fabric? It downplays everything about you. Personality and all."

Raven closed her eyes, embarrassed but in a good way. "I-I don't know. I just don't feel sexy or attractive." The last and basically only person to tell her she was pretty or sexy was ironically the duo's best friend, Wally.*

Speedy gave her a toothy grin and then leered, "Well, I'm here to tell you, you are. I'm going to help you find your confidence."

Raven folded her arms over her full chest and said in her usual sarcasm, "And how are you going to do that? By turning me into a slut?"

"No, Silly. You'll just have to watch and see."

"Yay…"

He turned his lip up at his new favorite friend. "So, that's a yes for the Pretty Woman outfit?" Raven gave him a small assuring smile. "Great! Take it off, so we can pay for it, and turn the challenge over to you."

"I actually look pretty good as a church boy." Speedy cockily admired himself in the long mirror outside the dressing room. He was sporting a crisp, white button down decorated with a vivid red bowtie and a pair of perfectly ironed, khaki slacks. He took out a comb from nowhere to neaten his fiery hair and made kissy faces at himself.

"Okay, Arnold Schwarze-loser. Can we leave now?" Raven called from the bench outside the dressing area.

He turned around and flashed her an award-winning smile. "Tell me I look good and we can leave."

Raven sighed with an eye roll. "Get over yourself, Roy."

Speedy wiggled his eyebrows and teased, "You know you want to."

"O.M.G. you're so good looking," Raven voiced in the most cartoonish voice she could manage. She sounded like a valley girl on cocaine.

Speedy froze his eyebrows and eyed her funnily. Then, within seconds, broke out in laughter. He slipped back inside the dressing room and eyed the tags of the outfit. He was thankful Wally had slipped him his credit card, because without it he definitely wouldn't be able to afford the hefty prices of the fancy store. He didn't think he'd ever get over that shame. He slipped back into his practice top and joggers and motioned for Raven to follow him to the cash register.

"May I see your ID, Sir?" The snooty, blonde cashier uttered almost robotically. Speedy gulped as he took his license out his wallet and showed it to the clerk. He knew what that usually meant. "I'm sorry, Sir, but it has to be your name on the credit card."

Speedy dropped his head as she handed him back the card causing his whole vibe to instantly change. Raven eyed the Visa as he placed it back in his wallet. She noticed it read _'Wallace R. West'_. She looked up at the redhead with a heavy heart. She'd never seen him so sad or defeated.

He grabbed her hand and tried to pull her along. "Come on," he slurred.

"Where are we going?" Raven stopped in her place. "You have to get your clothes."

"I can't afford $200 worth of clothes. Not to mention we still have to get shoes," he reasoned. She could tell he was highly humiliated and didn't even want to look her in her face.

"Speedy, I'll pay for it." She placed her hand on his broad shoulder, causing him to look her in her eyes. "It's no problem."

Once again, he was speechless and more than grateful for her kindness. He allowed a small smile to creep on his face. "Okay."

Raven smiled back and swiped her card for the clothes. "How does it feel to have the woman paying for your clothes?" The blonde girl croaked. "Shouldn't it be the other way around?"

Speedy could feel his blood bubbling. Why were some people so set on bringing others down? "You know it's not our fault you're over 40 working in the mall. You don't have to be a bit—" Raven grabbed the bags and his hand before he said anything vulgar and dragged him out the store.

"Why'd you do that? She needed a good smack into reality." He folded his arms, annoyed. He looked down at the petite girl and remembered the nice deed she'd just performed for him. "Thank you so much, Raven. You didn't have to do that." He hated feeling like a charity case, but he appreciated her kindness.

"I wanted to, Roy," she guaranteed, "but why did you have Wally's card and not your own?"

Speedy took a deep breath and figured he might as well tell her. "Raven, my family's not as wealthy as you and Wally's families. Matter fact, I don't really have a family. It's just me and my mom. Wally helps me out when he can. He's really a great friend." Now, she understood exactly why he was so embarrassed. He didn't want her to know he was less fortunate than her and her family. That only made her like him more. He actually cared about what she thought.

"That's nothing to be ashamed of."

Speedy put his arm around her for the second time that day and stated, "Most people think you're either creepy or evil, but, honestly, you're not that bad, Gem."

Raven blushed and chuckled on the inside once again. Surprisingly, this time she didn't push his arm off her. "And you're not that bad either, Sunny D."

 **I still think it's kind of boring at this point, but more entertaining parts (IMO) are coming. I'm going to start updating quicker, because I do already have a lot of the chapters written. I just always forget to upload them lol Also maybe I'll eventually change the rating to M. I can't tell if I need to lol Anyway, thanks to all my readers and a special thanks to** _ **Rae**_ **and** _ **Sisternature365**_ **for reviewing. I really appreciate it.**

 **XOXO,**

 **RT**


	5. You Belong with Me

_**A/N: I'm uploading 3 chapters at once, because I feel like that's how many would be here if I wasn't so forgetful lol.**_

5\. You Belong with Me

" _If you can see I'm the one who understands you. Been here all along, so why can't you see? You belong with me?"- Taylor Swift_

 _ **Disclaimer: Do not own song or Teen Titans :)**_

Later that night after dropping Speedy off at Kid Flash's house (he refused to let her see his home), Raven rushed to her room to take a shower. It had been a long day, and she couldn't wait to feel the water rolling down her back. When she stepped out, she wrapped a crisp, white towel around her small frame and another around her damp hair and breezed into her bedroom. Before she could even reach her dresser, her phone began to vibrate on her bed. She glanced over and thought she saw a name that started with an _R_. Hoping it was Robin, she rushed over to grab it before it stopped ringing. In the midst of running, her towel fell, but she paid it no mind, because it _was_ Robin. Her clothes could wait.

"Hello," she tried to put on a calm front, but the truth was her heart was racing from both the anxiety of trying to reach the phone and from hearing his voice.

"Hey," he paused almost sensually, "Raven. What's up?"

"Nothing, just got out the shower," she said coolly. "What's up with you?"

"The same. Are you free tomorrow?"

Raven's anxiousness slowly turned into excitement. Was Robin about to ask her out? "Yeah, free as a bird."

"Well, you are a bird," he snickered, then asked. "You want to go to the track meet with me tomorrow?"

Raven raised an eyebrow. Something wasn't right about this. "Um, sure, but since when have you cared about track?"

"It's senior year. I figured I might as well go to one track meet before I graduate," Robin explained.

"Speedy's going to be there," Raven warned. She really didn't want to be in both of their presences at once. She was in love with Robin yet beginning to feel something she couldn't explain for Speedy. It was just awkward to be around both of them at once.

"Yeah, I know. Might as well support them for regionals. I know it's a big day—"

"What are you planning, Robin?" Raven interrupted questionably. She could tell he was lying. There was no way he cared about Speedy, and after the basketball team had lost the championship, he definitely didn't want the track team to win anything big. He didn't have that much school spirit.

"N-nothing, Rae," he stuttered, "w-what makes you think I'm planning something?"

"I don't know, Robin," Raven said sarcastically. "Maybe because Robin would never want his rival to win anything."

Robin chuckled nervously, "Maybe I just want to see him lose. And maybe I just want to hang out with my best friend."

Raven smiled, but tried not to let that show through her voice, "Oh, really?"

"Yeah, we never do that much anymore, Raven. I miss it."

Raven was shocked. She had no idea Robin missed spending time with her like they used to as kids. She figured Tuesday nights and seeing each other at school was enough.

On the other side of the line, Robin couldn't believe that had come out of his mouth either. Did he just admit he missed her? To her and himself? He never really actually thought about it until that night at the park, but he figured it was just the nostalgia getting to him. But was it really just nostalgia?

"I miss it, too, Robin. We can definitely go to the track meet together," Raven knocked him back out his thoughts. He sighed, because he knew the real reason he wanted her to go. Yet, _maybe_ he actually did miss her. Psh, who was he kidding? He _did_ miss their time together. They'd been best friends all their lives and then high school came, and they barely spent time together despite the fact that they lived right next door to each other.

"We can just ride to school together," he finally spoke up. "Good night. Sleep tight, Rae."

"Don't let the bed bugs bite, Robin," Raven mumbled softly as she wrapped her one free hand around her bare body. She then realized that she had been casually strolling around the dark, but calming room. When had she stood off the bed? She continued to hold the phone to her ear, neither of them wanting to hang up.

"Oh, yeah, and Raven?" Robin's voice came before they ended the call.

"Yeah?" Raven chirped, halfway hoping he would say "I love you". Well, 75%-way hoping.

"Maybe you should start closing your curtains before you get in the shower."

Raven's heart dropped right along with her phone. The cell phone made a loud _thump_ as it hit the taupe carpet. She whirled around towards her window and saw a red-faced Robin waving at her ashamedly. She immediately dropped to the floor and spider crawled her way over to the curtains. She whisked them together with force and let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. Sometimes she forgot her and Robin's rooms were right across from each other. It was fun when they could talk to each other through the windows as kids, but now it was just awkward. He'd never caught her naked before though. First time for everything.

With the curtains closed, she ran to pick up her phone, but he'd already terminated the call. She sighed and put on her robe as fast as she could. How in the world was she going to face him in the morning?

"You ready to go, Raven?" Robin asked cheerfully as Raven opened her locker after school. She placed the books she didn't need inside and put the ones she needed in her navy book bag. She turned around and gave a small, assuring smile to her overly excited friend.

' _What is up with him'_ she thought. He rarely got this excited.

"Great. Let's go." He grabbed her hand and dragged her to his black Porsche.

When they arrived to the stadium, they realized the school holding the event was even fancier than their school. It looked like something right out of a movie with its pristine turf, blinding silver bleachers, and colorful track. Raven walked slowly behind Robin as they paid for their tickets. Even though he was acting like it never happened, Raven still wasn't over him seeing her bare body.

Unbeknownst to her, the only reason Robin didn't bring that situation up was because he didn't want an instant boner poking through his pants. He'd never really thought about Raven in that manner before, but now he couldn't get that image of her out his head. But he was a teenage boy. Who could blame him?

"Where should we sit?" he asked as they walked through the gate. Most of their school was already sitting in the bleachers.

"How about with Vic and the rest of them?" Raven shrugged her shoulders uncaringly, but then immediately regretted it when she saw Kori sitting next to Terra so innocently. Robin seemed to be thrilled about her choice though.

' _Of course,'_ Raven sighed within her mind and then turned to see that all of the cheerleaders save for Kori were standing on the track in their uniforms holding big signs. Why were the cheerleaders in uniform at a track meet? They only cheered at football and basketball games.

Then, it finally clicked in Raven's head. "That's why you wanted to come!?" Raven practically shouted. But at no one…Robin had already trotted over to the group of girls. She had faintly heard him say "You can go on up", but she had paid it no mind. She cursed him out in her head and stomped up the bleachers to sit with her _real_ friends.

"Hello, Friend Raven!" Kori was the first to greet her. _With a bone-crushing hug_ , I should add _._

"Um, hey, Kori," Raven tried to sound as friendly as possible. She loved Kori, but Robin possibly loved her more than a friend, and Raven hated that.

"Sup, Raven," Cyborg said next and held out his fist for her to bump.

"Sup, Dude." Beast Boy grinned as he plopped a piece of popcorn in his mouth.

"She's not a dude, BB." Terra rolled her eyes at her carefree boyfriend.

"Yeah, more like a dudette," Garth "Aqualad" Fisher added to the silliness with his sultry voice and squinted dark eyes. He was sitting on the other side of Starfire, and Raven knew his silly mood would be gone once Robin went through with his plan.

"You can sit next to me, Rae." Karen aka Bumblebee patted the empty space beside her. "Where's Robin, girl? He's the one who invited us."

Raven's face went blank. He had invited everyone, and not just her? He was really trying to put on a show. "Oh, I don't know. I think he stopped at the bathroom," she lied for him, despite the fact that she could feel herself getting angry at him.

Suddenly, the cheerleaders began cheering, causing everyone's attention to shift towards them. They did some little cheesy cheer with flips, tumbles, and basket tosses. In the end, Robin slid on the ground in front of them holding a bouquet of roses as the flyers went up into an extension holding signs that spelled out "Kori, prom?".

"OH MY GOSH!" Terra screeched. "Kori, Robin's asking you to prom!" Everyone stood up and clapped and cheered. Many people let out an _aww_ or a _how cute_.

"You go, girl!" Bumblebee sassed. Kori pushed past her friends and sprinted down the bleachers, crying tears of joy. They all watched as she screamed _yes_ and threw her arms around Robin's neck.

The world seemed to be closing in around Raven. Everything became blurs of colors around her. They were all happy for Kori. All of her friends were cheering for their other friend as she sat there dying. But it wasn't their fault. No one knew she loved Robin, except her and Wally. She couldn't blame them, and the only other person who wasn't enjoying this was Aqualad. He sat there on the bleachers, arms folded, frowning with eyes so mad they could pierce right through you.

Raven suddenly got sick to her stomach as she watched the newspaper and yearbook staff snap pictures of the smiling couple on the track. They were supposed to be there to capture the efforts of the track team not to capture Kori's smiling face as she lay in Robin's arms. Feeling the butterflies in her stomach squirm, Raven jotted down the stairs.

"What'd you think, Raven?" Robin questioned joyfully as Raven hurried right past him and the green-eyed girl. He frowned when he realized she wouldn't stop to answer him.

Raven pushed through the bathroom door, not caring who she hit. She knew Robin had said something to her, but she just couldn't stand there and look them right in their faces. She might have an anxiety attack right then and there. How was she even going to make it through the rest of the track meet? It hadn't even started.

She looked at herself in the bathroom mirror, thankful that the lavatory was now empty. She felt tears brimming in her eyelids, but she just couldn't bring herself to cry. She had to go back out there and face her friends, and she couldn't risk having evidence of tears on her face. She took a few deep breaths and brushed her wild hair down with her shaky hands.

"It's okay, Raven. Just calm down. Be happy for your friends," she whispered and stared at herself in the mirror. Then, she came to a sudden realization: she had to leave. Some way, somehow. She took another deep breath and walked out of the bathroom. _Right into Speedy_.

"Raven," he voiced cockily, shocked to see her face. "You came to support me. How sweet."

Raven looked to his feet and shook her head, "Yeah, I came with Robin." His smirk instantly fell at the mention of the ebony-haired boy's name. Was he jealous?

"Robin came?" he questioned fearfully. "What is he trying to sabotage the race or something?"

"No." Raven rolled her eyes. She might not be happy, but at least she wasn't as sad as she'd been just seconds before. She began to wonder if Speedy was the cause of her sudden mood change. "I thought we came to support you guys, but it ended up being to support his promposal to Kori." Raven almost threw up after saying the word _promposal_.

Speedy's smirk came back. "He asked Kori to prom? Score for him! She's fine A.F, and you know what everyone does after prom." He winked at her in what he thought was a sexy manner.

Raven was about to protest when the other ginger popped up out of nowhere. "Hey, Raven! Here to see us beat some ass?"

"That sooo did not sound right, Wally." Speedy eyed his friendly funnily as Kid Flash chuckled, embarrassed.

"I mean kick some ass!" he threw out and scratched his neck. "You know win?"

"I know what you mean, Wally." Raven shook her head and tittered wryly. She took that moment to notice what they were wearing. Their sleeveless, tight, red and yellow singlets showed off every curve and crevice of their hard rock abs and ripped biceps. The shortness of their shorts showed off their long, toned legs. However, their legs weren't the only thing the shorts were broadcasting. She could see the shape of both of their 'little' friends, and she couldn't help but look. More so at Speedy's because she'd actually seen Wally's a few times before thanks to all of his wild, random, and _crazy,_ 'let's have fun' nights.* But it was still aesthetically pleasing to see.

"Maybe I'll let you wear one of my gold medals to school tomorrow, if you want." Speedy gave her a charming smile, making her look up to their faces. She felt a little ashamed for being what she thought was perverted, but then she realized it was natural.

She blushed a little at the thought of wearing one of Speedy's medals, but kept a blank face. People would think they were an item; it'd be as if she was prancing around school wearing his letterman jacket. "Shouldn't you guys be stretching or warming up or something?" she decided to say.

"Our events are a little later, so we're just chilling," Kid Flash guaranteed her. "Gotta get our minds right for those wins."

Raven raised an eyebrow at him and said, "Well, good luck. I actually need to go find a ride cause I can't stay here a second longer.

Speedy frowned and grabbed her as she turned to walk away. Raven looked back and saw that both of them were wearing disappointed frowns. Speedy's seemed even more saddened. Her heart melted at their unintentional puppy dog faces.

"You can't leave, Gem," Speedy said calmly. "I could use your support since my mom never comes. It'd be nice to have someone else special cheering for me." Speedy suddenly slapped his hand over his mouth after he realized what he said. She was definitely going to know he liked her now.

Raven and Wally exchanged a guilty look that caught Speedy's eye.* _'What was that about,'_ he thought, but then let it go.

"Okay," Raven whispered almost angelically. "I'll stay just for you, Sunny D." Speedy grinned, mouthed his gratitude, and then grabbed Wally's arm and proceeded to drag him back to the locker room.

"Hey, what about me!?" Kid Flash screamed back after a second of letting everything settle in. "I'm your best friend!" Raven laughed at the duo as they disappeared, but her laugh disappeared as they did. Now, she had no other choice. She had to face her friends plus Starfire and Robin, knowing how she felt. She sighed and walked back towards the bleachers.

"Raven, you okay?" Robin checked as she took her seat next to Bumblebee. "You looked kinda flustered a minute ago."

"I'm fine," Raven mumbled. She noticed that he was now sitting in between Terra and Starfire. She also noticed that Starfire was gripping onto his hand extremely tight, probably still not over the excitement.

With that, Robin smiled and stood up to scoot beside the violet haired teen. "So, what'd you think?" he nudged. "Didn't think I had any romance in me, did you?"

Raven looked at the excitement in his face and relaxed. He was happy; that's all that mattered. "No, I didn't, but I was hoping you'd—," she stopped when she realized she was speaking out loud. She was about to say _"No, I didn't, but I was hoping you'd discover you did with me"_. That would've been bad.

"I'd what?" he lifted a curious eyebrow.

"Um," she gulped, "I was hoping you'd…you'd get out there and start flipping and cheering, too! That would've been hilarious."

Robin snickered lightheartedly, "Yeah, I thought about it, but I was so nervous, I didn't want to mess anything up. I'm just glad she said yes."

"Yeah…" Raven drifted. She didn't really know what to say.

"Thanks for supporting me, Rae," he said with a serious tone.

"You kinda forced me to, Robin."

Once again, he laughed, "I know, but it felt good knowing I had you in the bleachers in case everything went south." And with that, he walked back over to his new prom date.

' _Too bad everything didn't go south.'_


	6. Jealous

6\. Jealous

" _I don't like the way he's looking at you. I'm starting to think you want him too… Protective or possessive, yeah._ _Call it passive or aggressive… It's my right to be hellish; I still get jealous." –Nick Jonas_

 _ **Disclaimer: Do not own song or Teen Titans :)**_

The track meet ended up going well for the Jump City High Titans, and in the end they took home the most gold medals. Kid Flash had even broken some kind of school record by running a 3200m in eight minutes. Everyone, including the other teams, had been amazed by his speed, but Raven knew he'd had it in him all along. He'd just been saving it for when it mattered the most. And Speedy had thrown his javelin almost 265 feet ahead of him, breaking another record. It seemed running wasn't the only thing he was good at.

Today was the day of the god-forbidden annual powderpuff game. Every year the whole school endured watching that year's senior girls cry about breaking a nail and the boys strut around in cheerleading uniforms so tight and hideous they should've been illegal. This year they were the seniors, but Raven would still be a part of the crowd. She refused to roll around in mud like a porn star, and she especially refused to wear that bright, girly, pink jersey the girls wore each year.

"Here's your jersey, Rae." Bumblebee pushed the extremely pink athletic wear in Raven's face as they sat in the cafeteria.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." Raven put her hands up. "I did not sign up for that ridiculousness."

"We know," Terra chimed in. "Starfire signed us all up. She thought it would be fun, and we agreed." They were all already sporting their jerseys. Kori had even put matching pink lipstick on everyone.

Raven glared at them with devilish eyes. "I refuse to wear pink and yell _hut_."

"Oh, please, Friend Raven!" Starfire begged with her hands clamped together. "It will be most fun!" Raven always wondered where Kori learned her English after moving to America from some unknown place many years ago.

"Come on, Rae." Terra wiggled her eyebrows. "You get to wear short shorts." She was like the Speedy of the girls, except she didn't sleep with everything that walked, and she would never cheat on Beast Boy. She just had a dirty mind.

"Okay," Raven finally gave in, much to the others' delight, "but I'm not wearing lipstick. Especially if it's pink."

"Like my outfit, Rae?" Speedy asked from behind Raven. She turned around to find him modeling a yellow and red, too little, too short, and definitely too tight cheerleading uniform. He was even sporting a black wig. Not to mention, his hairy legs just made it all look more wrong than it should have.

"Azar no," she said, her eyes burning from the sight. She couldn't believe her eyes, but what did she expect coming from Speedy.

"Not even my black hair?" he whined playfully as he twirled the long wig around his index finger.

"No, I actually think orange suits you better, Sunny D," she sneered.

"Um, is it just me or are you feeling that wig a little too much, Speeds?" Kid Flash came up behind him next. Speedy glared at him, but kept silent. Raven looked at the newcomer and saw that he was sporting the same skimpy outfit and even had matching pom-poms to go along. She continued to look around and noticed that Beast Boy, Cyborg, Jericho, Hot Spot, Aqualad, and _even_ Robin were wearing the uniform as well.

All of a sudden, Raven broke out into a series of laughter. The two boys eyeballed the girl funnily. "What's so funny, Raven?" Speedy dared to ask.

"Maybe I should've been a cheerleader too!" she choked out.

Speedy pictured her in an extra tight cheerleading uniform and said, dazed, "Yeah, that would've been a sight to see."

"I take that back," Raven growled and walked over to the girls on the field as Kid Flash laughed hysterically.

"Dudes, I forgot all the cheers!" Beast Boy wailed as him and the other male cheerers approached the redheads.

Cyborg gave him a side eye and enquired, "Did you ever even learn the cheers, BB? You always seemed to be in a drooling daze when they were teaching us."

"Oh, yeah," Beast Boy scratched his hair nervously, "right, hehe."

"You're so smart," Aqualad mumbled with an eye roll.

"I heard that, Dude," Beast Boy admitted as he pointed a finger at the advanced swimmer. They weren't the best of friends. "The chicks were just extremely hot."

Kid Flash flashed a smile and said, "Come on, guys. We're supposed to be cheerful."

"Yeah, we can create our own cheers as we go along," Jericho added. He was the artfully gifted kid. They were still trying to get used to him talking. For what seemed like forever, he was a mute until he began to open up senior year. He played all kind of instruments and used all kinds of paint to express his emotions before.

"And I can do all the flips and that cool stuff," Robin finally chimed in.

"Ooh, Bird Boy can do gymnastics," Speedy whistled and folded his arms. Robin grimaced at his nemesis, but couldn't find any words to say. He just felt nothing but dislike brewing up.

"Guys," Hot Spot started, "we're about to watch 14 hot chicks running up and down a football field in tight daisy dukes. Let's just focus on that."

"Hot Spot's right," Speedy said in that sly voice Robin couldn't stand. "Gotta find my dinner for tonight."

"Just better not be Kori or Raven," Robin ordered, raising a fist towards the other boy's face.

"Or Terra!" Beast Boy threw in.

Speedy couldn't help but laugh at Robin. "Or else what?"

"Or else you're going to have to deal with me." Then, Robin gave him his own signature smirk. "And I know Kung-Fu." He started mocking Bruce Lee's martial art movies while the others leered at his rare silliness.

"I'm starting to think you two are actually turning into girls," Cyborg stated lowly, but loud enough for everyone to hear. Everybody, except the two arguing, let out a laugh.

"Now, come on, Dudes. Let's go make fools out of ourselves!" Beast Boy said before running over to the crowd and attempting to do a split. Everyone else besides Robin and Kid Flash followed, acting foolish themselves.

Robin looked at the redhead as he stood there with a nervous look on his face. It was almost like he wanted to say something, but he thought Robin might tackle him if he did.

"What's up, Wally?" Robin called to the boy.

Kid Flash exhaled and said, "You know you can't hold Raven back forever, Rich. If you're going to be dating Kori, she should be allowed to date, too, without you being all overprotective or whatever you wanna call it."

Robin frowned. Did Raven feel like he was holding her back, too? "I'm not holding her back or being overprotective. I'm just being a good friend," he sounded like he was trying to convince himself more than Wally. "We all know Raven would never date Speedy."

Kid Flash let out another breath as he began to walk away, "Say what you want, but I think you really just want her for yourself. You always have." Then, he stopped before he was too far for Robin to hear. "And about Speedy, Raven just might surprise us all."

Robin sulked as he watched Kid Flash's retreating figure. Raven would never date Speedy. Right? She couldn't. They were polar opposites, and as far as Robin knew, Raven was still a virgin. She wouldn't give Speedy what he really wanted.

All in all, Wally was right. As kids, he didn't even want the other blue eyed boy to be friends with Raven, because he wanted to be her only friend. He eventually grew out of that, but he had always wanted her for himself. He wanted her to be there for him and only him, but that wasn't fair to her or her other friends. And that didn't mean he liked her like that, so he thought. It just meant he was more selfish than he knew.

"For someone who's supposed to be cheering, you sure don't look cheerful," a raspy voice woke him from his thoughts.

"Raven," he gasped and looked the violet-eyed girl in her face. She was wearing the hugest smirk, and he could tell she was trying to prevent herself from laughing at his current outfit.

"What made you want to be a male cheerleader?" she sassed with a faint chuckle.

Robin turned his lip up right back at her and said, "The same thing that made you want to play football in a hot pink jersey."

Raven put her hands on her hips and glared. "I was forced. What's your excuse, Bird-Brain?"

A few feet away, Speedy had ceased his horrible attempts of toe touches and herkies and noticed Raven standing beside the bleachers talking to the guy he was arguing with just minutes before. Normally, he would only be focused on what she was wearing and how those tight shorts she had on fit around her bum perfectly and how the pink shirt brightened her complexion and unintentionally made her look happier. However, for some reason, he just felt himself starting to feel some type of way about his crush talking to his usually friendly rival. Raven's eyes had a certain glimmer in them that he'd never seen before, and he knew it had to be something that only happened when she was talking to Robin. He had a feeling their rivalry wouldn't be friendly much longer.

"Hey, Gem." Speedy hadn't even realized that he was marching over to the two while he was lost in his thoughts, but now he stood there facing the two birds.

Robin's blissful smile turned upside down as his ears picked up the sound of that annoying voice, and he almost spat after hearing that awful nickname. "Hey, Roy," Raven said back in a soft fashion.

Speedy swallowed his nerve and said, "I was thinking—"

"You can think?" Robin spat back involuntarily. He didn't want to start another argument, but whenever he saw Speedy conversing with Raven, he struggled to keep his temper.

Speedy's eyes narrowed as he let out a breath of air, "Why are you still here, Grayson? This is between us now." Raven's jaws clinched at his cockiness, but she sort of liked it. Not many people talked to Robin in the manner Speedy did. He wasn't scared of him or his wealthy caretaker. She truly admired his confidence.

"She's my best friend," Robin felt the need to say just as arrogantly. "Her business is my business."

"Well, shut up and pretend like you're not listening." Speedy was about ready to blow, but he closed his eyes and sighed, trying to stay calm. "Anyway, like I was saying before I WAS RUDELY INTERRUPTED, I was thinking maybe we could hang out tomorrow since we're supposed to be bonding. I have this place in mind, and I think you'll love it."

Raven wanted to smile, but she didn't want Robin to think she liked Speedy. If he believed she was content with Speedy, he might not ever realize that he really loved her. So, instead she smirked. "Well, I suppose since we're supposed to be bonding for the project, it wouldn't hurt."

Robin's bottom lip hit the ground so fast he didn't know if it was gravity or a bowling ball that had forced it down there. _'Did Raven just say yes to a date with, Speedy?!'_ he screamed in his mind then said aloud, "No, Raven! You can't go out with Speedy."

Raven looked at him with curiosity and even a little happiness at his disapproval. "And why not?"

Robin's mind went blank. He didn't have an actual good reason. It was simply because he just didn't want her to be with Speedy. He knew there had to be a deeper reason behind it, but he didn't have the time to go fishing for it.

"Yeah, why not, Grayson?" Speedy brought him back to reality. "Scared she'll end up liking me more than you?"

Without any warning, Robin pulled his fist back and whacked Speedy square in the nose like he had done to Malchior the year before. The orange haired boy was a few inches taller than the ebony haired one, but that didn't stop him from trying to dominate the fight. Before Speedy could realize what was happening, Robin punched him in the left jaw making spit fly out his trembling mouth.

Then, Robin looked at his hands and noticed they were stained with the other boy's fresh blood. He took a few steps back realizing what he had done. Next, he looked at Raven who was standing there frightened and looking like she was going to wet her pants.

' _What have I done,'_ he sighed and looked to the ground. He was about to apologize to both of them, but as he lifted his head he saw Speedy charging towards him like an angry bull. He gasped with fear and tried to round kick the running boy, but Speedy grabbed his leg and twisted it, making him hit his face on the hard track. He winced in excruciating pain as Speedy started kicking him in the side.

"Don't— _kick_ —ever— _kick_ —put— _kick_ —your— _kick_ —hands— _kick_ —on— _kick_ —me—again— _superkick_!" Speedy was kicking the boy like he was a soccer ball.

Robin let out a groan as Speedy stopped the kicking. Before the redhead could make another move, Robin grabbed his ankle and pulled him down to the ground right beside him. He rolled over and put him in a chokehold. He wanted Speedy to start tapping out from his tight grip or else he wasn't going to stop. Before Robin knew it, Speedy's face was beginning to match his hair due to lack of breath.

"Stop! Stop it, Robin!" Raven screamed frantically, but for some reason her screams didn't register in Robin's mind. "Let go! He can't breathe!"

All of a sudden, Robin felt large, macho hands lifting him off the ground. He knew it had to be someone much bigger than him, because his feet were so high off the ground, it was as if he was floating on air.

"Have you lost your mind, Rich!?" he heard Victor's voice say. He still felt like he was in a daze, and he didn't know what had gotten into him. He looked up and saw Aqualad and Kid Flash holding back a wild, fist-swinging, and almost animalistic Speedy. Robin knew the boy wanted to murder him at this point.

"Calm down, Roy!" Aqualad rushed, it was taking all of his strength to hold Speedy back from tackling Robin.

Kid Flash gave up pulling on his arm and stood in front of his raging friend and pushed him from the front. "Let it go, Speedy! He's not worth it!"

Speedy finally snapped out of it and realized most of the crowd was now standing around them watching in amusement. He looked at Robin who bewilderingly looked scared for his life. He was the one who started the fight, how could he be scared? He looked at Raven, but he couldn't read her face. He couldn't tell if she was scared, angry, or honored that they would fight over her. Then, he looked at his panting best friend who was standing right in front of him. He was right. Robin wasn't worth losing his temper over.

"Come on, Wally, I'm suddenly not in a cheerful mood," he said with iciness in his tone. He snatched his arm away from Aqualad and turned towards the exit, kicking his wig that was now on the ground. But before he walked off, he looked at Raven and said, "I'll pick you up around noon tomorrow."

Raven nodded her head wondering how he would pick her up with no car, but she didn't dare ask. Speedy wasn't the only one confused about her emotions. She was terrified, upset, and flattered. She was angry at Robin for once again being overprotective, but at the same time she was terrified because she'd never seen him so angry. Everyone knew Speedy had a short temper, but it never resorted in fist fights with people. Yet, at the same time she was honored. She had no idea the two felt so passionately about her.

"Wow," Terra said casually as she stepped off the green turf with a football in her hand, "two overly masculine guys fighting in cheerleading uniforms. Never thought I'd see the day." Everyone around cracked up at the humorous girl's remark, and began to go back to their respective areas.

"I think you've been around me too long, Terra." Beast Boy winked at his blonde girlfriend.

"Face it, Gar, I've always been funnier than you," she giggled. Beast Boy let out a pouty laugh and ran to catch up with the guys. "You okay, Rae?"

Raven frowned at her good friend and mumbled, "Let's just say I don't feel like running up and down a field right now." Terra looked at her with a sad face. "I'm okay, Terra. I promise. Just go have fun!"

Terra was about to object when she noticed a sheepish Robin walking towards them. She tossed the oddly shaped ball in the air and asked. "Want me to kick him in the balls, Rae?"

Raven finally let out a small smile and said, "It's okay, Rocky. I think I can handle it." And with that, Terra ran towards the field to prepare for the game.

Robin stood in front of Raven, but couldn't look her in the face. Raven stared at him with hard eyes, but decided to wait on him to speak first.

"Look, Ra—"

The moment she heard his voice, gall rose in her throat. "I can't believe you, Richard."

"I—"

"Why can't I have a life outside of yours?" She was shorter, but she was definitely towering over him at the moment. "It's not like we're dating, and you have Kori."

"I know, Raven," Robin finally got out, but after realizing she wouldn't interrupt him this time, he didn't know what to say. So, he looked down at the ground begging for words to find him.

"Why can't I be happy, too, Robin?" Her words stabbed him in the heart. "You get to take Kori to prom, and I'm going to be sitting at home all alone. Eventually, you guys will probably become an item, and then what for me? Wally likes Jinx and Jinx likes him back, so I'll have no one."

"Speedy's just such a bad guy for you, Raven. He's promiscuous, and you saw the way he was acting when Garth and Wally pulled him back. I thought he was going to kill me!"

"Robin, you started the fight!" Raven screamed, appalled. How could he judge Speedy when he was the one who went ballistic? "It was like something had taken over you that you couldn't control. I was more scared of you."

Robin smacked himself in the forehead, feeling defeated and knowing she was telling the truth. He looked up, well down, at his small framed friend and noticed that she was on the verge of crying. He spontaneously picked up her hand and held it as tight as he could. "Listen, Raven, I—I…"

"You what?" Raven pushed, this time hoping he would say "I love you" even more. She looked into his eyes hungrily, not knowing what to expect.

"I-I care about you." All her hopes went out the window. "A lot, and I just don't want to see you getting hurt. I'll blame myself for it."

Raven pulled her hand from his, a little more saddened now than she was before. "It's called life, Rich. And you have to let _me_ live _my_ life."

Robin sighed as well. Kid Flash's words from earlier were poking him in the brain. They were both right. "Okay. I'll stay out of your love life."

It wasn't exactly what she wanted to hear, but if she couldn't have him, she needed someone. "Okay. Thank you, Robin."

"Also, I just want to apologize for starting that fight. It breaks my heart to know I was the source of your fear." Robin started to feel tears form in his own eyes. How could he be so aggressive? It was her fault. She did something to him, and he didn't know what.

Suddenly, he felt thin arms wrap themselves around his waist. "It's okay, Robin. I know you just want what's best for me."

Once again, Robin thought about what Kid Flash had said many moments ago and asked himself, _'Or do I just want what's best for us?'_


	7. Anywhere but Here

7\. Anywhere But Here

" _What goes on inside, is a mystery no doubt. A roller coaster ride, I may never work it out. Here's the brand new me, skates around and floats on air. I'm a sight to see, rainbow colors in my hair. You have set me free. The one who gets me there." –Hilary Duff_

 _ **Disclaimer: Do not own song or Teen Titans :)**_

Raven woke up gasping for air and clutching her sheets. Everything that occurred yesterday was still fresh on her mind, and she could feel her heart racing just as fast. She looked around her room and saw the sunlight peeking through her closed, blue curtains. She took a deep breath and relaxed as she realized it was all over. Today she was going out with Speedy, and he was going to hopefully put a well-deserved smile on her face. She looked at the clock on her wall and saw that she had overslept. It was forty minutes to noon, and she didn't know how Speedy was getting there, but she knew he would come.

After brushing her teeth, she became anxious again as she ran around her room looking for something to wear. She double checked her curtains and decided to take a shower first, hoping that the warm water and smell of lavender would help her calm down again. She stepped out of the shower and decided on a simple, white V-neck. She felt a little different today, so she decided to wear denim shorts for a change. She blow dried her long, purple hair and twisted it into a French braid. She was still trying to get used to having so much hair. Before senior year, the longest she'd ever grown it was shoulder length. Long hair was just so hot and girly. Because of this, she figured she'd probably cut it sooner or later. She snapped a necklace Robin had given her years back around her neck, and she slipped on a pair of earrings Wally had given her for her birthday last year. She looked at herself in the mirror and smiled. Why did she feel like she was doing the most for Speedy?

"Sweetheart," her mother, Arella, knocked softly on her bedroom door. "Someone named Roy is waiting downstairs for you."

Raven smiled even bigger this time and called, "Thanks, Mom. Tell him I'll be down in a second." She ran to her closet to grab her black, combat boots. Somethings didn't change. She grabbed her wallet and basically jumped down the stairs to see Speedy looking more handsome than ever. He looked up at her as she stepped off the last step and formed the biggest smile. She blushed, glad that he was happy to see her.

"You look," Speedy paused cautiously, "different, Gem." He opened the front door and motioned for her to walk out.

Raven stepped out the tall door and looked back at him nervously. "Is that a bad thing? Should I have dressed more formal?"

He gave her a small smile and shook his head as the sun highlighted her purple eyes and pale skin. "Not at all. You just have this glow about you. And, no, you're fine. The place has rentals." Raven eyed him and noticed he himself was dressed casual as well. He was sporting a red tee, dark gray joggers, and a crisp, white pair of Adidas. Why did he look fancier to her inside? She guessed she was just happy to see him, too.

She let go of her thoughts as they walked towards the red, 2003 Toyota Corolla sitting on the side of the road. She smirked as he opened the door like he had done days before and said before he could close it, "So, where exactly are we going anyway?"

He smirked back and said, "You'll just have to wait and see." He closed the door gently and walked over to the driver's seat.

"You do have a driver's license, right?" Raven kept her smirk as they buckled their seatbelts. The car reeked of beer, old carpet, and artificial strawberries. There was a full trash bag sitting in the backseat, and Raven figured he had attempted to clean the messy car before swooping her up.

Speedy gave her a friendly glare and said pompously, "Of course, I have a driver's license. I just never get to use it much." Raven sat back, relaxed, and let the soft rock he was listening to take her away. She couldn't believe she was actually excited for this outing. She'd been surprising herself ever since she woke up that morning.

The now calm girl opened her eyes as they pulled into the parking lot of a building that seemed to be in the middle of nowhere. The sign out front read _Green Arrow's Archery Range_. "What's an archery?" she asked, feeling ignorant for not knowing.

Speedy raised a shocked eyebrow as he unbuckled his seatbelt. "You don't know what archery is?" The quiet girl shook her head from left to right. "Allow me to show you."

"Good afternoon, Roy!" A tall, rugged, blonde man exclaimed as they walked through the doors of the creaky, wooden building. Speedy was holding Raven's hand as he pulled her along, and even though it felt odd to the socially awkward teen, she didn't want him to let go. "Who's the lucky gal?"

Speedy slightly blushed and announced, "This is my good friend, Raven. Raven, this is my Uncle Oliver."

Raven timidly said _hi_ and held her hand out to shake. "Call me Green Arrow. You must be something special, Miss Raven. Speedy's never brought a girl here before." She was actually surprised to hear that. She had already reckoned that this was the place Speedy brought girls when he wanted to seem romantic, but it must've been somewhere that held a lot of meaning to him.

Speedy's signature sly grin grazed his face, "Yeah, she's pretty special."

Green Arrow gave his nephew a happy smile. He always worried about the boy. He thought he'd never learn how to actually love a woman, but he could tell this one was his lesson. "You guys ready to suit up?"

Raven frowned nervously. "Suit up for what? You still haven't told me exactly what we're going to be doing."

Green Arrow handed Speedy a pair of clothes and riding boots and then handed Raven the same thing in what he guessed her size would be.

"Let's just say you picked the perfect hairstyle for today," Speedy chuckled sneakily. When he saw the worried look on her face, he placed a hand on her shoulder and assured, "It's going to be okay, Rae. Just suit up, and you'll see for yourself."

Raven slowly walked to the women's dressing room and slid into the clothes Oliver had handed her. He somehow magically knew her clothes and shoe size. What kind of man was he? When she finished, she stepped out of the stall and placed her things in a locker. She turned around and faced herself in the mirror. She looked like she was about to mount a horse.

' _Speedy!'_ she screamed at him in her head. She didn't want to admit it, but she was terrified of animals, and she definitely didn't want to be sitting on top of one.

Speedy couldn't help but stare in amazement at the beautiful girl as she stomped outside with a scowl on her face. He loved the fact that she had her hair pulled back, because it allowed him to see every ounce of beauty she possessed. He drank in her body as she approached him in her fancy, navy blue jacket, skinny, khaki pants, and knee-high, dark brown boots. One might've mistaken her for a pro.

"I'm going to kill you, Roy!" she roared when she finally reached him. She took a step back when she realized he was holding two bows and an array of arrows in his hands. "Is that a bow and arrow?"

Speedy snickered at her innocence and handed her a bow. "Yes, Gem. That's kinda what archery is."

Raven glared and mumbled, "You want an early death I see," but he continued to laugh. "Well, why do you have me wearing this repulsive horseback riding stuff?"

"I'm going to teach you how to shoot arrows while riding a horse. It's called mounted archery, and it's like a medieval sport or something." He didn't know much about the history of it. All he knew was, he loved it, and it was a skill most people didn't know he possessed.

Raven continued to look at him, full of doubt. "I can't do either of those things separately let alone together."

"That's why I'm going to drill you on both individually then combine what you learned."

"That's a head injury waiting to happened," Raven whispered as she kicked a pebble, but Speedy still caught it.

"We'll get you a pony instead of a horse. And we do have helmets, you know?" he smiled at her worried face. "I promise I'll keep you safe, Raven."

"No, Gem, like this," Speedy scolded gently as he pulled the string of his bow back and let three arrows fly in under six seconds. Raven swore she didn't see anything flying in the air, but somehow the arrows were now piercing the bullseye of the target. "Stand with your feet wide and relax. Don't pull the string until you raise the bow to the right position."

Raven looked at him like he was speaking gibberish. She was still confused and scared that she would end up murdering a bird or anything alive. She rose her bow up so high it seemed as if she was getting ready to shoot the sky. "Like this?"

Speedy laughed and placed his weapon on the ground. He walked up behind her and grabbed her arm. He helped her lower her bow to a more leveled position. Then, he grabbed her right hand that was holding the arrow and guided it to the bow. Raven sighed anxiously; they were so close, she could feel his chiseled chest on her back. He hooked the arrow to the string and with her hand still under his, pulled back and let the sharp object rip through the air.

Raven was no longer trying to hide her blushes. She took a step forward to put much needed space between them and mumbled, "Thanks. I think I got it now." Speedy smiled and picked his bow off the ground.

"Bet I can hit more bullseyes than you." he challenged with a typical smirk. Raven smirked back, eyeing him in his matching outfit.

"We'll see about that," she gladly accepted the challenge.

For two hours, they played around and practiced their shot. Raven was beginning to feel like she had the hang of it. Speedy was a much better teacher than she expected him to be.

"I'm hungry," he breathed as he shot one last arrow. "Wanna eat?" Raven shook her head up and down and followed him towards a tree. She noticed there was a plaid, red, and white blanket complete with a picnic basket sitting under the green leaves.

Her eyes went big. _'He did all this for me!'_

"When did you have time to do all this, Sunny D?" she asked in her usual sarcastic tone.

Speedy grunted as he dropped to the ground and said, "I asked my uncle to set it up for us while you were too busy having fun to notice."

"Who said I was having fun?" She wasn't sure if she wanted him to know she enjoyed him just yet. She didn't know exactly which way their friendship was going to go.

His face became somber. "So, you aren't having a good time?"

Raven frowned at herself for basically insulting him. "Duh, I'm having a good time, Speedy. I was just messing with you. No one's ever done anything like this for me before."

"Really?" he asked with shock in his voice. "Why not?"

"I don't know," she sighed and pulled her knees up to her chest. "I guess no one's ever really liked me like that."

Speedy smiled and scooted closer to her. "Well, I like you like that." This made Raven scoot away from him. What was she supposed to say? She was in love with Robin; she couldn't like Speedy.

"So," she said, searching for something to change the subject, "how'd you get into this?"

"By this you mean archery?" Raven shook her head _yes_. "Well, after my dad died, my uncle kind of took me under his wing. He knew I needed a male figure in my life, and this was just one of the things we did to bond. He's always been really great at shooting, so he just passed the skill on to me. And now, ironically, I'm quicker than him with the arrows." Raven looked at him like _really_? He shook his head _yes_ with a cocky simper.

"And the horses?"

"Eventually, I got bored just shooting at targets, so I decided to take it to the next level. Mounted archery requires a lot of skill."

Raven rolled her eyes and said, "And you think I can do it? Psh."

Speedy cackled evilly. "Okay, maybe we can just work on the individual things today, and who knows maybe we can come back another day." The mention of another date made him start rubbing his furry hair uncertainly.

Raven chuckled dryly at his nervousness. "Yeah, maybe so, Sunny D."

Speedy grinned and slipped a toned arm around her shoulders. "So, you ready to eat?"

She eyed him with a glare and mumbled, "Depends on what you're talking about eating."

He moved close to her ear and whispered, "Why don't you open the box and see for yourself?"

Raven looked at him funnily and wondered why he just couldn't tell her. She reached for the handle of the box, but he kindly handed it to her. She rolled her eyes and reached to open the basket. When she finally did, small balloons and confetti exploded in the air. She gasped and turned towards him, but he was just sitting there with that sly grin.

"What is this?" she mumbled vigilantly. She never knew what to expect with him.

"Pop one of those balloons and see."

Raven picked up the blue balloon and use the end of an arrow to pop it. When she did, out fell a folded piece of paper. She unfolded the paper and almost went into cardiac arrest. Written on the paper in his own chicken scratch handwriting was _You + Me = Prom?_. She was speechless.

At this point, she didn't even know if she should say yes. Then, she thought about that day at the track meet. How happy Robin looked when Kori said yes. She knew it wasn't her style, but she didn't want to miss prom. It was something she'd never been able to experience again, and who better to go with than Speedy if not Robin?

"I'd love to go to prom with you, Sunny D." Her voice was still raspy and dry, but Speedy knew she meant it.

He suddenly swooped her up bridal style and twirled her around as she looked at the ground in fear. She wanted to scream _'PUT ME DOWN!'_ but he looked so excited, she just couldn't bring herself to do it. He placed her back on the ground and said, "You're one lucky girl, Rae. You know how many groupies asked me to prom?"

"Why didn't you pick someone hotter than me then?" She crossed her bony, greyish arms.

"Looks aren't everything," he said with a serious tone. "Plus, trust me. You're the hottest girl at JCH, and I originally wanted to go to prom as a single man. But then I discovered the greatness that is Raven Roth."

Raven hit him in the chest playfully and shook her head. "Well, I'm glad you're happy I said yes and all, but where's the food?"

After they finished their lunch, Speedy insisted that Raven at least attempt to ride a horse. Eventually she agreed, and now, he was losing breath from laughing so hard at her efforts to mount the pony. She was beginning to turn red from anger and frustration.

"I'm too short!" she finally gave up and put her hands on her hips. "What are you laughing at, Little Red Riding Head?" Speedy's laughter immediately ceased at her insult and was replaced with narrow eyes.

For the second time that day, he walked up behind her, but this time he wrapped his arms around her waist. He held them there a second too long, making Raven look up to his face. She caught him staring at her with a somber look on his face. "Snap out of it!" she snapped her fingers in his face.

Speedy blinked his eyes a couple times and mumbled, "Sorry. I've just never felt this way about a girl before. There's just something about you."

Raven looked at the ground and didn't reply. She had no idea what to say. "It's okay."

Speedy mentally slapped himself. Of course she didn't feel the same way. He had to wait until she realized he was a better man than she thought he was. Without warning, he picked her up and helped her onto the small horse. She looked at him with a sad frown, probably feeling bad about not saying anything.

"Giddy up, Cowgirl!" he grinned, breaking the silence.

"What am I supposed to do?" Raven wondered with fear in her voice as the creature started to move.

"Just hold on!" he bellowed as he hopped onto his horse. "She's one of the slower ponies. Just stay calm."

Both of their horses began walking at a steady pace and then started trotting a little faster. Raven just took in the fresh smell of the trees and grass surrounding them as the wind blew her braid voraciously. She was actually enjoying the serenity of the scene and looked over and saw that Speedy was wearing a peaceful face as well. She inhaled the fresh air and closed her eyes as her body moved along with the rhythm of the animal.

"Ride my pony, baby!" Speedy shouted dirtily as Raven got more into the rhythm. He had the hugest smirk on his face until he noticed her glaring at him out the corner of his eye. He cleared his throat and said, "I meant ride that pony! Not my pony! Well, if you want to ride my pony—"

"Let it go, Speedy!" They had to scream due to all the moving and wilderness, and the screaming just made everything more awkward.

"Hehe," Speedy chuckled nervously, "sorry, Rae!" Truth was Raven was blushing at the thought of being on top of him rather than the horse, but she quickly tossed that thought out of her mind.

"You have fun?" Green Arrow asked with a smile as Raven handed him the riding clothes and boots. Speedy had already finished undressing and took it upon himself to step outside.

"Yeah, it was amazing," Raven spoke truthfully. She'd never experienced anything so peaceful before, and she'd definitely never had a date like that before.

"Take care of Roy," Green Arrow's deep voice startled her. She watched him curiously. "He has some…darker issues. And it's not often that he finds someone he really likes. Maybe you can be the one he confides in."

Raven frowned. She needed someone to confide in herself, and telling Speedy she loved Robin would just anger him. How was she going to help him? Didn't he have Wally? "I'll try," she told him, and she wasn't lying. She just didn't know if trying would actually worked, but she vowed she'd do her best.

When she walked outside, Speedy was fire engine red and spit was flying out of his mouth as he screamed into his cell phone. Raven inched closer to him slowly. He was almost as mad as he had been at the powderpuff game, and she instantly missed his smile.

"Who is that?" Raven asked with caution, but he didn't respond to her. He just kept screaming obscenities into the phone and drifting away from the car.

"You've gotta be fucking kidding me!" he screamed and looked down at the phone. "She hung up in my face. The stupid cunt hung up in my face."

Raven's heart dropped the way it had when Robin asked Kori to prom. Who was she? He wouldn't talk about his mother like that, right?

"Everything okay, Roy?" she asked softly, but he just put his face in his palms.

His whole body trembled when he said, "Let's just go home." This time he got in the car without opening her door. She sighed as she buckled her seatbelt. This was going to be a long trip home.


	8. I Need You Tonight

8\. I Need You Tonight

" _Open up your heart to me, and say what's on your mind, oh yes. I know that we have been through so much pain, but I still need you in my life this time." –Backsteet Boys_

 _Disclaimer: I do not own the song or the Teen Titans :)_

Robin still felt guilty about ruining the mood at the powderpuff game the day before, so he decided to plan a fun day for his friends. He called or texted everyone, except Speedy and Raven—he wanted to invite Raven in person. Ever since they parted ways at school, he'd been dying to see her face and hear her raspy voice again. He just hoped and prayed as he walked towards her front door that she had erased his outburst from her memory.

He sighed and knocked on the large, red door uncertainly. He froze when he saw the long, violet hair that was attached to the person who opened the door. But it wasn't Raven; it was Arella. "Hi, Richard. Can I help you?"

Robin scratched his neck and mumbled, "Yeah, is Raven home?"

Arella gave him a soft frown and said, "I'm sorry, but she's—" She stopped speaking as a red car pulled up to the side of the road. They could hear the noisy engine from a mile away. Robin's instant disappointment from her not being home continued as he noticed Speedy stepping out of the driver's side.

' _Since when does he drive?'_ Robin growled to himself as Arella softly left the door open with a crack. He watched as Speedy opened the door and helped her out. _'Like a gentleman.'_

Robin started to wonder if he really had been overreacting. Maybe Speedy wasn't that bad of a guy, and Raven would never allow him to take advantage of her. Maybe he had nothing to worry about. It was something odd about them though. Speedy looked more serious than ever and Raven's face was filled with worry. Speedy spontaneously pulled Raven in a hug and held her as tight as he could. Raven slowly wrapped her arms around him and rubbed her hands up and down on his back in a comforting motion.

' _What's wrong with him?'_ Robin wondered. Speedy finally pulled away from the short girl and planted a peck on her forehead. Then, he sauntered back to the driver's seat. Neither of them ever saying a word.

Raven walked down the pathway leading to her front door with her eyes on the concrete. She would've bumped right into Robin if he hadn't stopped her. "Raven?"

"Robin?" She glanced up in surprise. "I didn't see you there. What's up?" All that time he had been standing there, and she hadn't seen him? Was she really that blinded by Speedy?

"Everything alright?" he ignored her question and asked his own. "What's wrong with Speedy?"

"Yeah, the date was great," she waved with a small, content smile, "but someone called him before we left, and now he's like a ghost. He hasn't said one word to me about it."

Robin scowled in the inside. Didn't Speedy know you couldn't leave a girl wondering like that? The worrying would drive her crazy. "I'm sorry to hear that, Raven. We could all use some fun, so I was wondering if you'd want to go to the carnival with everyone tomorrow. That way we can make up for the fun we lost yesterday."

Was he kidding her? He didn't even have to ask. "Of course I want to go. Did someone already invite Speedy?"

Robin's easy smile flipped. He guessed it didn't shock him that she would be wondering if he was coming or not. "I don't know, but KF's coming, so I'm sure he'll drag him along."

Raven smiled and said, "Okay, I'll see you there." She was about to put a hand on the door knob, but Robin decided to pull a Speedy. He threw his arms around her and pulled her into a bone-crushing hug. However, she didn't have the same reaction she did with Speedy.

"What are you doing, Robin?" she asked in between breaths.

Robin immediately let her go. "Um, I just wanted to give you a good night hug. Uh, meet you outside tomorrow around 3?" Raven shook her head and with that the boy took off toward his home.

For some reason, the sun decided it wanted to make Jump City extremely hot the same day they all decided to go to the spring carnival. It was just their luck.

"Dudes, I don't know if I'm going to make it," Beast Boy moaned as he dragged along the concrete.

Starfire wiped a bead of sweat off her forehead and suggested, "Perhaps we should all try the cones of snow." Most of them agreed and ran towards the concession stand leaving Terra, Raven, and Speedy to sit on a bench.

Raven looked over at the quiet Roy worriedly. He was fidgeting with his phone and his hair. For some reason, he looked paler than usual and was wearing a long-sleeve hoodie despite the intense sun. His pupils were extremely big even with being around so much light. And he had been trying his hardest to avoid eye contact with anyone since they'd arrived. At first Raven thought he was still shaken up from whatever happened yesterday, but now she wasn't so sure.

"Aren't you hot, too, Terra?" Raven tried to hint for Terra to go over with the others, but the blonde didn't quite catch it.

Terra waved her hand casually. "Oh, I just told BB to bring me one back." Then, she nosily nudged Raven and whispered. "So, how was the date?"

"It was great," that was the truth, for the most part, but Raven was only focused on one thing at the moment. "Does Speedy seem a little…off to you?"

Instead of answering Raven's questioned directly, Terra turned to the boy and said, "Speedy, are you little off today?"

He started coughing uncontrollably and bellowed, "I'm fine!" just as the others were walking back up. He stood up abruptly and stormed away.

"What's wrong with him?" Wally eyed the two girls who just hunched their shoulders.

Raven stood up and said, "I'm going to go check on him."

But before she could take off, Bumblebee put a hand on her shoulder. "Maybe we should give him some alone time, Rae. He'll be fine."

Raven nodded her head and looked towards the ground. _'Why do I care so much about how he's feeling? This isn't like me. I'm supposed to be trying to convince Robin that I'm the right one for him.'_

"So, Raven," Aqualad teased as he walked up beside her. Everybody had started strolling along again and running to play different games and get on various rides. "Since we're the only ones partner-less, I guess we should stick together." He was right. Starfire had dragged Robin along to a fun house. Kid Flash was trying to win a bear for Jinx by proving that he was the strongest man alive. Cyborg and Beast Boy were shooting water guns at a target, both trying to win their girlfriends something. And Speedy had disappeared into the crowd. Raven had to admit it was awkward at the least.

"Oh, yeah, I guess," she mumbled dryly.

"I bet I can win you something." He smirked confidently. "How about one of those giant chickens over there?" He asked pointing to the balloon dart game.

"Sure," she rolled her eyes, "I love giant chickens."

Aqualad swaggered to the game and paid a million dollars to play. He popped a balloon on each of his tries and actually ended up winning her the giant animal. "Told you I'd win you a chicken. Doesn't it remind you of Robin or Beast Boy?"

That comment sparked an idea in Raven's head. "Doesn't it make you mad that Robin's trying to take Kori from you? I thought you guys really liked each other before he came along." Once again, who was this girl and what did she do with Raven? She couldn't believe she was stirring the pot.

Aqualad's chuckle died down, "Yeah, we did actually. I was going to ask her to be my girlfriend soon, and then out of nowhere Robin swoops her off her feet and has her mesmerized. I don't know what girls see in him; he's really not that great."

Raven gulped as they started strolling. He was more than great to her. "You have to fight for her, Garth. You can't just let Robin win everything."

Aqualad raised a dark eyebrow at her, but agreed. "Yeah, you're right. He always gets what he wants." Then, he stopped in his tracks and faced her. "Hey, why do you want me to win? Isn't Robin your best—"

"Yo, Fishstick, get away from my girl!" A hostile Roy came out of nowhere and grabbed the big eyed girl by her hand, making her drop the stuffed animal. "Come on, Gem, everyone's about to get on the Ferris wheel."

"I'm not your girl, Roy," Raven growled lowly. What in the world was his problem?

Speedy snickered lazily and said, "Don't be silly."

Aqualad picked the chicken up off the ground as Raven looked at him with pity in her eyes. She would've said they'd finish their conversation later, but she really didn't want to answer that question. Speedy pulled her to the line the others were standing in as Aqualad followed closely behind.

"Hey, Aquadude, you're totally skipping!" Beast Boy complained as Garth marched up to Starfire and Robin.

Aqualad put on his sexiest voice and smile and said, "Hey, Star. Wanna ride the Ferris wheel with me?"

Kori let go of Robin's hand and squealed, "I would love to!"

"But, Star, I thought you were riding with me," Robin said as gingerly as possible. The two boys were glaring profoundly at each other as Kori put her finger on her chin to think.

"Friends!" she startled everyone in the line. "We shall all ride the wheel of Ferris together! The car fits three people!" Both of the boys grunted and folded their arms.

Meanwhile behind everyone else, Raven was feeling awkward next to the tall boy. Something just wasn't right about him. "Speedy, I'm worried about you."

Speedy gave her a fake smile and started to say, "I'm perfectly fine," but he was cut off by the vomit that filled his cheeks. He turned to the side and let it all out on the gravel, because there was just no way he was going to make it to a bathroom.

"Eww, gross," Beast Boy shivered in his skin as Terra slapped him upside the head.

"Yo, Speedy, you're supposed to throw up _after_ you get on the ride!" Cyborg screamed, also receiving a deadly glare from his girlfriend.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. You okay, Buddy?" Kid Flashed worried as he helped Raven lead his ill friend towards the bathroom.

"It's okay, Wally. I got it from here," Raven promised when they reached their destination.

"But—" he started, raising a disagreeing finger.

"It's fine. Go have fun with Jinx." Kid Flash decided to trust his friend and ran off before he missed the ride.

"I'm not going in the girl's bathroom," Speedy slurred as Raven pushed the door open with him hanging on her shoulder. She let out a breath and kicked the men's door open. She was beyond grateful there was no inside, but it reeked of funnel cakes and strong urine.

Inside, she kicked open the door to the wider, handicap stall and commanded, "Do what you gotta do."

Speedy threw his back on the wall of the stall and slowly slid down to the ground. He started fidgeting and searching his pockets anxiously. "Argh!" he let out a frustrated yelp as he scratched his forearms.

Raven kneeled down beside him and said angrily, "Speedy, what is wrong with you?"

He finally let out a deep sigh and looked her in the face for the first time that day. "I'm losing my high."

Raven shot up, furious as ever. "You're high!?" Then, she dropped back to the ground and raised up the sleeves of his hoodie and discovered fresh needle marks. "Speedy, have you lost your mind? You could kill yourself!"

The boy just stared at the ground looking as if he wanted to cry, but his eyes were too dry to produce tears. "Do you hear me? Huh? Answer me!" She collapsed on her behind and punched him in the shoulder. "What was it? Cocaine, meth—"

"Heroine," he answered in almost a whisper.

Raven saw the miserable look in his eyes and softened up, "Why, Roy?"

To her surprise, he finally decided to answer. "I'm going to be a father, Raven."

The violet-haired teen almost suffered a heart attack. This was going to change whatever their future was severely. He wouldn't be able to be there for her if he was taking care of a baby, and she didn't know how to help him cope.

She closed her eyes, trying to calm down and whispered, "Who's the lucky girl?"

"This girl I met at a party last year. She dropped out of school junior year, and she kind of has this bad girl reputation. Getting arrested for smoking pot, fighting, etcetera. Yet, she was known for being Prude Patty in bed, and I just knew I could break that. I'd never met anyone like her before, but turns out that was a good thing."

"Why you say that?"

"The girl's pure evil." He put his face in his palm. "Her name's Jade, and now I'm stuck with her for eighteen years."

"Is that who you were on the phone with yesterday?" Raven felt bad for the boy; she really did. But there wasn't much she could do.

"Yeah," he replied. "Crazy thing is she's already seven months along. She waited to tell me, so that I wouldn't try to force her into getting an abortion, and apparently it's a girl."

"What?!" Raven screamed lowly. That was just ridiculous.

"I know. I need more than two months to prepare for a baby. Financially and mentally." He turned and looked at Raven's sad face. "That's why I was so angry yesterday, and that's why I ran back to the heroin. I just need to get away from reality."

"Back?" she asked with shock in her voice.

"Yeah, I dabbled in it a couple years ago. My uncle helped me out of it."

"Oh, yeah, he told me you had some demons."

"Raven," he called, causing her to look him dead in the eyes, "I can't go back down this road. I need your help."

Raven stared at him with no words. She could see the desperateness on his face. "Speedy, I—"

"For some reason, you're the only person I feel comfortable telling this stuff."

Raven sighed, "Speedy, I'll definitely be here for support, but you have to want to help yourself."

Speedy frowned, but then perked back up. "Raven, I do want to help. For myself, for my daughter, and for _you_."

 **A/N: Idk if anyone cares about this story lol but it's okay. I wrote it, so I'm going to continue to upload it. I've had thirteen chapters, but this last month and a half of school was extremely busy, so I always forgot to upload. But it's finally over. So I'm going to start back writing and upload a chapter every day for the rest of this week. Have a great day and thanks for reading :) - RT**


	9. He Can't Love You

9\. He Can't Love You

" _I know you know. No matter if you want it baby. Ain't no ifs, or buts, or maybes. And I know that one day you'll see that he can't really love you like I love you." – Jagged Edge_

 **Disclaimer: I don't own them or the song :)**

"Where's Raven?" Robin said out loud as they all sat down on wooden benches hidden under the shade to eat. Now, that he wasn't busy fighting over Starfire with Aqualad, he realized that it had been a minute since he'd seen his best friend.

"And Speedy?" Kid Flash added as him and Jinx fed each other hot dogs, the others watching them with odd expressions on their faces as they fed themselves.

"You guys should stop eating your hot dogs like that. I can't help but think perverted things," Terra voiced what the others were thinking as she munched on her chicken on a stick.

Wally and Jinx simultaneously dropped their wieners and buns on their plates and gave the others sheepish smiles. "What did we miss?" Raven startled them with her arms folded across her chest and a close-to-dead looking Speedy.

"Um, nothing," Kid Flash laughed loudly. "Feeling better, Speeds?"

But instead of the taller boy answering, Raven did, "No, he needs to lie down. Can you take us home?"

"No!" Robin screamed and everyone looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "You don't have to go, Rae. Wally can just take him home." Robin forced a smile. It was hard, because ever since they'd arrived to the carnival, he had this sinking feeling in his heart and he knew only Raven would understand or be able to help.

Raven rolled her violet eyes. "I don't want to stay here, Robin. Carnivals are not my cup of tea."

"I need to talk to you about something," he mouthed, but never actually said anything. Raven sighed and said _okay_ as she sat next to Aqualad which was across from the black haired boy and Starfire.

"You ready, Jinx?" Kid Flash turned to his soon-to-be-girlfriend and winked. "Maybe we can make out after we drop him off?"

"Sure," Jinx smiled mischievously and stood up. Wally motioned for his best friend to follow him as the couple walked away. Speedy stopped and had one last somber look at Raven; she could've sworn she saw anger and hurt in his eyes. She breathed, feeling a little guilty. Before they left the bathroom, she assured him that she would help him get settled into bed and wouldn't leave till he fell asleep even if that meant Wally and Jinx would be outside waiting. They could just make out or whatever. He had whined about needing the comfort and she obliged. But of course she would ignore her promise for Robin.

"You guys ready?" Robin asked as he dumped his food in the garbage can. The rest of the group did the same and headed to their respective rides.

Raven had originally rode with Kid Flash, Jinx, and Speedy, but now she was forced to sit in the backseat of Robin's messy, but expensive car while Starfire occupied the passenger's seat. Bumblebee, Terra, BB, and Aqualad had all bundled up in Cyborg's car.

"Home sweet home!" Starfire exclaimed as they pulled into her driveway. She was always so excited about…nothing.

"I got it, Star," Robin said as she reached to open the door. He hopped out the car and ran over to be a gentleman. Raven brought her chin down to her chest and closed her eyes. She could probably count the times he had down that for her on one hand. What was special about Starfire?

"Wanna call shotgun?" Raven heard a voice as a breeze tickled her nose. She opened her eyes to see that Robin had also opened her door. She gave him the smallest smile possible and unbuckled her seatbelt as he also opened the passenger door. Her heart raced as he closed it softly as she settled in. It was moments like this that made her days.

"So, what'd you want to talk about?" Raven queried as his foot softly pushed the gas.

Robin sighed deeply, "My parents." Raven's eyes went big; he hardly ever mentioned them. "I just really miss them, and just being at that carnival really reminded me of the circus."

"Why didn't you say anything? We could've left earlier," Raven said angrily. She didn't understand why he caused himself pain sometimes; she hated seeing him sad.

Robin looked at her as the car paused at the stop sign. "I'm fine, Raven. Really. I just needed someone to confess that, too, and you're the only person I can talk to about things like that."

"Well, Robin—"

"Promise you'll be there," he whispered as they continued to sit at the red octagon.

"Wh-what?" Raven looked at him funnily. He had been acting so weird lately. Half of the people in their social circle just weren't themselves anymore.

"Just in case I wake up from a nightmare," he mumbled. Was he suggesting what she thought? "Kinda like when we were younger, but this time I'll sleep on the floor." When they were younger, sometimes he would spend the night and they'd share her bed. She would sleep the normal way and he would lay at the foot of the bed, his own feet bumping her in the nose every now and then. He often had emotional nightmares about his birth parents falling to their deaths in front of him, and even though she barely said much, the presence of Raven just made him feel better.

Raven looked out the window as the car starting moving again. "You don't have to sleep on the floor, Robin. I've smelled your feet enough to be immune to them."

Robin chuckled at her nonchalant nature and disagreed, "It'd be the respectful thing to do since we're…you know older now. Especially with what happened the other night." Raven blushed at the memory of him seeing her butt naked. She had almost forgotten the moment with all that had happened since then.

"You're right," she said almost inaudibly.

Robin gave her a short glance and looked back at the road. "You know it's nothing to be embarrassed about. You actually have a really great—"

"Leave it alone, Robin," she used the same words she threw at Speedy the other day.

Robin cleared his throat and focused back on the road. "So, it's a sleepover?"

"Sure…"

"Speedy's going to be a baby daddy!" Some brunette chuckled to her sophomore friend.

Speedy winced from anger. Without him knowing, Jade, aka the evil, manipulating Cheshire, had posted a collage of her growing baby bump and photos him and her took months ago on every social media site known to man. She captioned it _A New Addition to Our Loving Family_.

' _What loving family? Shh, what family?'_ Speedy thought to himself as he strolled down the hall trying to ignore the gossip and whispers.

"No more groupies for him!" Someone chuckled in the distance.

"It was bound to happen. Everyone knows how promiscuous he is."

"Glad it wasn't me!"

"I wonder if he's going to marry her now…"

"Poor baby's going to have two crazy parents!"

"Ahh!" he thundered and stomped to the restroom. The people acted like he wasn't even there and like he couldn't hear their voices. Cheshire knew what she was doing when she posted that. She knew he wasn't ready for the world to know; he had barely even accepted it at this point. Plus, she hated the fact that so many girls loved him and wanted to be with him. She knew they wouldn't want a dude with a kid.

He slammed himself in a stall and started searching his book bag for anything to help him. His mind immediately ran to the heroin, but he purposely left the needle at home. He was trying his hardest not to become deathly addicted to the life-changing drug again. However, he knew the withdrawal would be hard, and he knew he needed to take it step by step, so that morning he filled a flask with vodka and stuffed it in the front of his bag. He never thought he'd be pulling it out in school, but he needed a way to drown the world out.

He twisted open the small silver bottle and turned it up in his mouth, gulping all of the alcohol down in one sitting. He hadn't eaten today, so he knew he'd be drunk as all outdoors but he really didn't care at the moment. It was better than snapping at one of the gossipers.

Meanwhile, "Hey, Rae. How's Speedy feeling about all of this?" Terra asked Raven as they opened their lockers before seventh period. She wanted to ask her at lunch, but she figured the girl wouldn't say anything in front of all of their friends.

"I don't know," Raven admitted as she closed the rectangular door. "I haven't seen him all day. Wally can't even find him."

"Gosh," Terra whispered worriedly, "I hope he's okay."

"Can I tell you something, Terra?" Raven's voice scared herself. She sounded desperate and hopeless.

Terra smiled a little, knowing that Raven usually really only confided in Robin and Kid Flash. "Of course."

"He was being weird yesterday, because he was high on heroin," Raven rushed quietly so no one would hear. Terra stared at her in shocked silence. "I'm really worried. I don't want him to overdose or anything, but you know I'm not the worrying or comforting type. So, I feel really odd and different."

"Raven," Terra started, "you're finally allowing yourself to feel other emotions. You should embrace it instead of trying to run from it."

Raven lowered her head. "You're right, Terra." She was so used to blocking her emotions from fear of being hurt or hurting those she cared about. It wasn't a good way to live at all.

Terra put a soothing hand on her shoulder as the bell rang. "And Speedy's going to be okay. Especially if he has you."

"Oh my gosh," Jinx grunted, annoyed. "Once again Raggedy Andy has bailed on us." She plopped in the library chair and scowled.

The other two partners were much calmer. "Chill, Jinx. You know Speedy's had a rough day," Kid Flash said softly, making the girl frown from being scolded. Then, he smirked. "Plus, I'm a redhead, too, so no more redhead insults."

The pink haired girl chuckled and smiled ashamedly, "Sorry, Strawberry Shortcake."

"It's okay, Cotton Candy." Raven rolled her eyes in disgust. Of course they had nicknames for each other already. "I've been looking for him all day, but I haven't seen him since he realized what was going on."

' _Does Wally know?'_ Raven wondered if the boy knew about his friend's addiction. Probably not, since he'd never mentioned it to her, but how can you hide something like that from such a close friend?

"How about you, Raven? Isn't he like your boyfriend or something?" Jinx teased.

Raven narrowed her big eyes and deadpanned, "No, he's not. We're just friends."

"Good," Jinx mumbled and then voiced her opinion a little louder, "he's probably only going for you 'cause you're the one girl he hasn't slept with."

"So, you slept with him, too?" Raven watched Wally as she asked. He sulked low in his chair, scared of the girl's answer. He really had it bad for her.

"Oh," Jinx laughed ashamedly once again, "of course not. He hates me."

"So, you would—" Raven's question was postponed as Speedy stumbled through the library towards their table.

"Sorry, guys," he slurred as he fell in a chair.

Kid Flash's scared frown turned into a disappointed grimace, "Speeds, are you drunk?"

"More like on _speed_ ," Jinx insulted low enough for no one to hear.

The boy was clearly inebriated, but Raven didn't know if that was a step up or the same as being high. At least alcohol had a worse chance of directly killing you.

"Just please. No more throwing up," she finally said in her usual sarcasm.

"Maybe I should take him out." Kid Flash stood up and helped him out his seat.

Jinx sighed and commanded, "Yeah, just make sure he's better for tonight. We have to start recording."

Kid Flash shook his head and told her, "I'll try, but first I gotta get him through track practice."

Later at Wally's house, Speedy had sobered up tremendously but he reeked of booze and felt horrible. Not only was he dealing with mental and emotional stress, but now he had a massive headache after throwing up twice in the school's bushes during practice.

"You two should go put on your costumes," Jinx suggested. Surprisingly, Speedy had actually remembered to grab the shopping bag that morning. The two departed the room and went their separate ways.

Raven groaned as she looked at her basically naked body in the mirror. She felt so open to the world in the skimpy garments.

Then, a knock came at the door. "It's me," Jinx revealed herself, "Can I come in?"

"It's open," Raven said in the needed volume.

Jinx rushed in and closed the oak door behind her. She was holding a small bag Raven was very unfamiliar with. "I was thinking your character would definitely have on makeup. So, sit down and let me work my magic."

"Um, no," Raven forced. "Never."

"Come on, Rae. Just a little eyeshadow, blush, and red lipstick. It's for Julia."

"Fine," Raven settled and sat on the toilet. They were doing this for a grade, not her pleasure.

Jinx took out a small, blending brush and dusted a small amount of a dark gray on the girl's eyelids and a darker color in her crease. She winged out her liner with jet black ink and brushed mascara onto her long eyelashes. Then, she took a blush compact and dusted an almost taupe color along her cheeks. Then, she lined the girl's full lips with a dark maroon liner and proceeded to fill in her lips with a deep red lipstick.

"Finish." Jinx smirked as Raven stood up and admired herself in the large, round, golden framed mirror. There was actually a glimmer of happiness in her eyes. "You like it?"

"Yeah, surprisingly," Raven mumbled.

"Great! Now let's curl your hair!"

The boys couldn't do anything, but stare when a different Raven followed Jinx back into the room. Her face was made up in a simple, but beautiful fashion and her long hair was flowing in messy, loose curls. Now, she was taller than Jinx and closer to the boys' heights in the black, five-inch stiletto, suede, thigh high boots that Speedy insisted her character would wear. They could tell she was afraid of their reactions, because she was also staring but at the floor.

"Doesn't Raven look gorgeous, guys?" Jinx admired her own work. She wasn't the best makeup artist, but she thought she did pretty well.

"Wow." Speedy's jaw dropped. That was his first time really looking in her face all day. He was too embarrassed to face her earlier, but now he had no choice. Just looking at her almost instantly made his headache vanish.

"Drop dead," Kid Flash said lowly as he continued to stare. Jinx was even starting to get a little worried about his staring. "You look amazing, Rae."

"Thank you," she said nonchalantly. "So, are we going to do the first scene on the balcony or what?"

They did the scene on the balcony almost five times, because Speedy kept stumbling and forgetting his words. Then, they moved over to the makeshift church the bright haired couple had created in the study downstairs and the same thing happened. The video was only supposed to be five minutes long, so they only had one scene left and they were all anxious to get to it.

"Speedy!" Jinx screamed, annoyed, as Roy butchered the script once again.

"Shut up, Hermione," Speedy spat back. "How am I supposed to focus when she looks like—like this?!"

"Speedy, you see girls naked all the time!" Jinx rolled her eyes at his foolishness.

"Yeah, but not girls like Raven," he retorted.

Kid Flash grinned evilly and said, "Is that the real reason, Speedy?"

Speedy narrowed his eyes at the boy holding the camera and said, "You shut up, too."

"Come on, Dumbos. I'm ready to get in my bed," Raven growled. "Enough with your arguing."

"Okay, Speedy. Say your lines correctly and then y'all get to kiss," Kid Flash reminded them.

Speedy's heart started beating fast; he had actually forgotten about the kiss. He'd never been nervous about kissing a girl. Now, he felt like he would pass out at any moment. Standing in front of him, Raven was just as nervous. She was worried that if she kissed the boy she would begin to have feelings for him as well, and she just didn't want to have to deal with that conflict. She guarded her heart as strongly as she could as she began talking and didn't allow herself to feel any emotions.

"Julia, I love you more than anything, and I honestly don't care what anyone else thinks!" Speedy cried as melodramatically as possible. He got on his knees and grabbed onto her right hand tightly as he forced tears out of his eyes.

Raven wanted to roll her eyes so badly, but she couldn't break character. She mustered up her dramatic voice and whined, "But what about your father and the church? They'll disown you!"

Speedy stood back up and grabbed her other hand as he gazed into her violet eyes. He almost felt like he was actually admitting his love for her, so he threw in some overdramatic movements that he hoped would push those feelings away. He knew she didn't feel the same, but his feelings were so strong. "It's not about them, Sweetheart. It's about you and me."

Both of their hearts began thumping so loudly they were sure their onlookers could hear them as they inched closer and closer to each other. Speedy's lips finally locked with hers and before either of them realized it, they were lost in the kiss.

"Okay, cut…" Jinx said after a minute or two. She watched them part with her eyes big and her eyebrows raised while her own make out partner just watched with a huge grin. He knew Raven was in love with Robin, but he wanted her to branch out and find someone else. Plus, he knew his male best friend had never loved anyone. He was happy for both of them until—

"Ugh! I think I'm going to throw up now," Raven mumbled, wiping her mouth.

Speedy's face instantly went from pure bliss to a frown. Did his breath stink or something? He made sure to chew a lot of gum and eat a lot of tic tacs before he came. "What?" he asked, scared of the answer.

Jinx and Kid Flash frowned as well and waited for Raven to answer. "I just can't believe I kissed you of all people. You're not my type."

"Yeah, you probably have oral herpes now," Jinx whispered as Kid Flash nudged her with his elbow.

Speedy picked up Raven's small hand once again. "Come on, Raven. You can't tell me you didn't feel anything."

"Yes, I can," she said dryly. "Speedy, I didn't feel anything when we kissed." She yanked her hand from his grip and folded her arms. She was trying her best not to make eye contact with him. She couldn't break her façade. Not right in front of him.

Speedy sighed and looked to the ground. Then, he finally realized he didn't care. Roman's words were beginning to turn into his own. "Raven, I don't think you understand that I'm falling for you. And I know you feel strongly for me too."

"I don't!" Raven growled as her skin flushed red and veins popped in her forehead.

"The evidence was all over your face that day at the range, and yesterday when I told you what was wrong. You like me, Raven. Just admit it!" Speedy yelled passionately as he stood in front of her.

Jinx and Kid Flash couldn't do anything except watch in horror, but it wasn't their fight to fight anyway. "Speedy," Raven started lowly. She was more than shocked; she didn't think the troubled, overly sexual boy could ever like her. "I don't know how to tell you this, and maybe Wally already told you—"

"Uh oh," Kid Flash interrupted her. He couldn't hold that in, because he already knew all hell was about to break loose.*

Raven glared at Wally and his reaction which made her second guess what she was about to reveal, but she knew she had to or in the end Speedy would just be even more hurt. "Speedy, I'm in love with Robin." Kid Flash actually let out a sigh of relief. That wasn't what he thought she was going to say, but it was still just as bad.

Speedy was speechless, but he couldn't say he was shocked. That would explain why she treated Robin differently than Kid Flash, and why she always chose him over Speedy despite the fact that she seemed to like him, too.

When he finally spoke, his words took everyone in the room by surprise, "Well, is Robin in love with you?"

It was Raven's turn to be speechless. She didn't expect that to come out his mouth. "No…well I don't know. I guess not…"

"Raven, Robin doesn't know what he's missing out on," Speedy's voiced softened as he sat in the chair next to see her, staring into her eyes as he did. "I'm the dumbest guy in the world, and I can still see. Why waste time waiting on him?"

Raven turned away from his gaze and murmured, "Speedy, I can't just stop loving him."

"I'll wait," he assured her. "Those are words I've never told a girl, but I'm telling you. Just getting to know you has changed the way I usually feel about girls."

"Roy—"

"By the way, you look amazing in red. It's really the perfect contrast to your skin," Speedy changed the subject for a quick second. "Plus, it's my favorite color. You should wear a red dress to prom."

"You guys are going to prom together?" Jinx and KF questioned.

"Speedy—" Raven started, ignoring his request.

"I usually spend my Saturdays having sex or getting blow jobs or hand jobs or whatever, but this past Saturday I spent with you. Shooting arrows and riding horses. Can't you see, Raven? I'm trying just for you."

"Roy, shut up!" Raven blew her top as she stood up. "I'm in love with Robin, and I always will be. We have this bond, and no one can ever change that. We're meant to be together! He just doesn't know it yet…"

Speedy finally stood up as well and bellowed, "Fine! Enjoy your life being lonely." He grabbed his bags and stormed out the door making Jinx groan and Kid Flash run behind him. Raven sat back down and put her face in her hands.

Seconds later, Kid Flash sped back to the room. Speedy refused to stay or even look at the purple-eyed girl contrary to how he felt just moments before, so now Wally had to take him home, but he had one last thing to say before the horrible night ended, "He's right, Raven."

Raven removed her face from her hands and saw Kid Flash giving her a stern look. She felt guilty the moment she said those harsh words to Speedy. Even she knew deep down she did feel a little something for Speedy. She just didn't know what, because she had been trying so hard to block it out.

Jinx began shaking her head in agreement, and Raven couldn't help but think, _'Maybe he is right.'_

 **A/N: Next chapter is the big secret or whatever I mentioned at the beginning if anyone cares lol. Thanks to those who read if you're still out there lol :) Good night!**

 _ **Also idk how OC the characters are, but how "in"-character can they be without the superhero background?**_


	10. The Best Man Syndrome

10\. The Best Man Syndrome

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, and notes and _thank you's_ are at the bottom as usual :)

Despite everything that happened last night and how bad she felt when she finally made it to the bed, Raven was still putting herself in bad predicaments. How you ask? Mainly because she answered _'No…sorry'_ to Speedy's last text as she sat in the passenger seat of Robin's car waiting for him to come out of the main school building. Neither redhead showed themselves in seventh period most likely due to the topic her and Speedy were discussing at that very moment.

The message read: _'Hey, Gem *smirk emoji* I'm sorry for my outburst last night, but YK how that goes. Today's the big day. We're finally competing in the state track meet at Steel Uni. & I could really use ur support. We can make up at Wally's party afterwards. Please come?'_

 _Ding!_ Raven jumped as her phone chimed again. "You okay," Robin smirked as he got in the car and turned the keys in the ignition.

Raven ignored him and looked down at her screen. _'Ure going to be with Robin aren't you? *eye rolling emoji*'_

Raven decided to act like she didn't see the message. She shouldn't have to feel guilty. Tuesdays have always been her and Robin days. She couldn't let Speedy change that. Plus, at their surprisingly un-awkward sleepover the other day, Robin had promised her they would do something other than the café this Tuesday. They decided on an action movie and dinner at a nice little restaurant ironically in Steel City. That way they could enjoy a little road trip as well.

' _U could've just said yeah…being ignored hurts more…'_ Her phone vibrated once again. She cursed herself as she realized both of them had iPhones, so he knew that she'd read his message.

"Everything okay, Raven?" Robin's unintentionally sensual voice knocked Raven back into reality as he slowed the car at a yellow light.

' _Look I'm sorry, Speedy. We can meet up at the party later. Good luck. You'll do fine whether I'm there or not. Break a leg…or not…'_ Raven punched the keys on her phone at a ferocious speed.

"Who are you texting?" Robin added.

"Nobody," Raven muttered and gazed out the window. At the moment, Speedy was nobody.

Speedy looked down at the message from the first girl he ever felt anything for as he was walking towards the locker room assigned to his team. He couldn't do anything but shake his head with more sadness than anger in his heart.

As he approached the door that lead to the room with the benches and lockers, he stopped when he heard voices discussing him.

"Is Speedy okay? I know it's tough on him," one of them asked. He had to strain to hear him.

The other one was much louder, "Yeah, he's as good as he can be. Of course I'll be there with him through everything, but I just can't believe it's true. That was almost me."

"Really?" The softer voice asked with amazement. Speedy racked his brain trying to figure out who the voices belonged to. Despite the fact that they were being muffled by the noise of the crowds in the bleachers and on the track, they sounded eerily familiar. Then, Speedy came to a sudden realization.

' _Duh!'_ he screamed inside his head. It was Jericho and _Wally_. _'Wally didn't tell me he was almost in my situation.'_

He was about to interrupt their conversation, but Wally's next question froze him in his place.

"I know you're not one to gossip…Can I tell you something?"

"Of course, KF," Jericho's quiet voice reassured Speedy.

"I'm not supposed to be talking about this, but it's killing me," Kid Flash started. Speedy could tell he sounded uneasy. "Raven and I hooked up a few times. We were each other's first and everything. There were a few times I didn't pull out; that's why I said it could've been me. But we just got really lucky."

Speedy's heart was in his throat. Did Wally just say what he thought he said? Whatever sadness was in his heart a minute ago was replaced with rage and anger.

Jericho's voice suddenly became more curious, "But aren't she and Speedy—"

"Yeah," Kid Flash stopped him from finishing the question, "That's why it was killing me. We promised each other we wouldn't tell anyone because it's not their business. But I never expected her and Speedy to end up being whatever they are."

Speedy pushed his back against the brick wall surrounding the building and took a few deep breaths. He couldn't believe them! His best friend and the only girl he ever liked? Together? In bed? He couldn't even fathom that. And why hadn't either of them told him? He was filled with fury as he took another breath. He stormed off and back over to the rest of team who was stretching on the track. He knew it was best if he didn't see Wally, because at this point he almost wanted to kill the boy.

"Hey, team!" Kid Flash's perky voice came out of nowhere. "Y'all ready to get this trophy?" The rest of the team cheered and continued to pump him up. It took everything within to stop Speedy from jumping on him. He just hated the sight of him.

"What about you, Speeds?" Raven's ex-lover questioned the one who wanted her now. But Speedy couldn't even stand to look at him, so he just walked away leaving KF with a twisted look on his face.

' _I'll just take my anger out on the track,'_ Speedy thought to himself as he took a sip of Gatorade to calm him down. Now, he was beginning to regret leaving his flask and needle at home. The worst he figured would happen at the track meet was him losing. He never imagined he would make this discovery.

"Harper, you're up first," The coach called and clapped his hands together. "Go get 'em, Titan!"

"Bring home the gold, baby!" he heard his _ex_ -best friend cheer as he walked over to the other runners.

The whole night Speedy let his fury and rage take over him as he took the gold in every event he competed in. His feet stomped the black tar as he rounded each corner of the track, and there was no one who could stop him. Kid Flash had also won gold in all his races, making Speedy even angrier. For once he wanted to beat the boy in something.

As the night dragged on, many others on the team racked up silver and gold medals. Then, finally, it was time for the last, biggest, and most exciting event of the night: the 4x400 relay. Kid Flash was so pumped he was jumping up and down, preparing his legs for the work. Speedy stood still next to the Gatorade stand trying not to focus on the hyper boy. They were going to have to run this race together, and Speedy couldn't say he was looking forward to it.

Jericho, Speedy, Kid Flash, and another teammate all lined up on the sidelines as they prepared to stand on their respective parts of the track. The other teammate ran out and waited for the gun to sound. The other three stood there in an awkward silence with Jericho separating the two best friends. Finally, the gun rang and Jericho ran onto the track as the other member ran off. Kid Flash and Speedy always went last since they were the fastest ones on the team; Wally being the very last. They were usually the dynamic duo, but neither one of them knew how that was going to play out tonight.

When Jericho handed the baton to Speedy, he took off with a force and lightning bolts in his shoes. He was well ahead of all of his competitors, and he didn't plan on stopping anytime soon.

Kid Flashed cheered as Speedy sped around the track. He began jogging ahead and looking back as the boy neared him. He was more than ready to grab the baton and help the team win the best gold of all.

So, imagine his surprise when Speedy sped right past him full force. His lip hit the track and his pupils filled his eyes. Why wouldn't he pass the baton? He picked his jaw up as the other runners passed him and decided to run and catch up with them. But he was so distraught, they all ended up beating him. He crossed the finish line as soon as the referee was announcing the first place winner who wasn't Speedy. Because Speedy didn't succeed in passing the baton, they were disqualified from this particular race.

Now, Wally was filled with anger. "Yo, what the fuck, Speedy?!" he screamed as he marched over to Speedy and the team.

"Calm down, West!" The coach ordered. He didn't need any more drama. Plus, he wasn't the only one mad at Roy. "Walk it off."

"You got us disqualified, man!" Wally continued, stepping closer to his friend, but the coach pushed him back.

"I said walk it off, West!" The coach bellowed as the rest of the team watched the fiasco in silence. Wally snatched a towel off the bench and turned to walk off, but not before Speedy had the last word.

"You deserve to lose," he said so coldly that Wally's anger turned to hurt. What did he do to make Roy think he deserved to lose on the biggest night of his life so far? They were supposed to be best friends not rivals. Wally looked to the ground and stormed off to the locker room. That was a bone he just didn't feel like picking.

After Wally's outburst at the track meet, Speedy was even more annoyed with the boy. When they boarded the bus, they sat as far away as possible from each other which was the exact opposite of when they were on their way to the university. There was an eerie silence the whole ride back despite the amount of golds and trophies they actually had received. Overall, their team won first place. Yet, the tension between Roy and Wally was distracting everyone.

Speedy didn't even want to go to Kid Flash's stupid after party anymore, but he wanted any moment with Raven he could get. So, he figured he might as well go. Wally's house was so big and so many people had said they were coming, chances were they wouldn't even run into each other. If she was up to it, he and Raven could even just walk over to her house instead.

Meanwhile, Raven and Robin were also on their way back to Jump City. The whole night had been filled with laughter and nostalgia for them. He actually picked a good movie for a change, and the food at the restaurant was to die for. Now, Raven was shaking her head with a sly smirk riding her face as Robin sang along to some old rock song he'd never heard before. He sounded like a dying bird, and she was amused seeing him so unusually carefree.

"You sound horrible!" She admitted bluntly as she covered her ears with her hands.

Robin paused his singing and said, "I'll take that as a compliment coming from you!"

When they finally arrived to the party, there was hardly anywhere to park, so Robin parked at his place. When they walked through the door, they were swallowed by the enormous, dancing crowd.

Robin grabbed Raven's hand causing sparks to ignite between their bodies. "Up here!" he yelled over the loud hip hop music as he motioned for her to follow him upstairs. Raven led them to the game room slash room with the balcony to find another crowd, but it was significantly smaller than the one downstairs, so they settled.

Back outside, Speedy was sitting in the car dwelling about his difficult life. His mom had let him use the vehicle today since her new, drug dealer boyfriend was all about being chauffeured around. He reached in the glove compartment and pulled out his flask. He took a sip, hoping to drown all his troubles away for the night. However, he didn't want to be too tipsy around Raven. It'd probably just scare her off. He slipped the flask in the pocket of his joggers and stepped out of the car.

Once inside, he walked around and scanned the crowds for her violet hair. He didn't spot it, so he figured she hadn't made it yet. He secured a spot next to the punch bowl, despite the fact that he brought his own beverage, and took another small sip of said beverage.

Suddenly, a voice snapped the vibing boy out of his mellow mood. "What was all of that about at the track meet, Speedy?" He turned around to see Kid Flash looking at him sincerely with a red cup in his hand.

The alcohol in his system didn't help his boiling anger from seeing the boy's face once again. He hunched his shoulders and mumbled, "I don't know."

"Well, that wasn't cool," Wally's voice suddenly sounded more deadly.

Speedy chuckled irately and snapped back, "You know what's not cool?"

Kid Flash rolled his eyes as he crossed his arms. What could he have possibly done to anger the boy so much? "What?"

"You fucked her!" Speedy finally let out a scream that night, and it was a hoarse, slightly drunken one.

Wally's punch-filled cup hit the floor with a splash as some people stopped to watch the scene. "What?" he managed to say despite his astonishment. "You know…?"

"You fucked her!" Speedy announced once again, then added, "Raw at that!"

Both of them were fire red and Kid Flash didn't know what to say, so he softly said, "Speedy, keep it down. The world doesn't have to know."

Finally, Speedy was at his wit's end. He punched Wally as hard as he could in the mouth, causing the boy's body to collapse to the ground. He picked the groaning boy up by his wrists and began dragging him up the staircase. Jinx froze in one place as she screamed _stop_ towards the two while everyone else watched and cheered in amusement.

When Speedy got the two of them upstairs, he dragged the boy into the game room causing that crowd to gasp. They never expected to see the two of them being so violent with each other.

"Oh my God," Robin whispered as Speedy struggled to keep his grip on Kid Flash who was flopping and turning all kinds of ways. Raven just watched in amazement. What did they miss at the track meet?

"Let go, Speedy!" Kid Flash roared as Jinx and many of the others from downstairs swarmed into the room.

"You fucked Raven and didn't even tell me!" Roy roared back causing everyone to gasp for a second time as they stared at Raven. "I can't let that go!"

Raven could swear she felt her heart stop beating as all eyes were suddenly on her and as their secret was revealed. "You slept with Wally?!" Raven's face suddenly met Jinx's hand as the pink-haired girl slapped her with all of her strength and stormed back down the stairs.

Everybody's attention was now back on the fighting boys as Speedy pushed Kid Flash onto the balcony.

"You had sex with Wally?" Robin was the next to ask. His body was suddenly filled with unexplainable jealousy as the embarrassed girl shook her head up and down. "More than once?" She shook her head up and down once again and walked away with tears brimming in her eyes. He didn't know if he should follow or not. He was suddenly beginning to feel the same disappointment as Speedy.

"Got the club going up!" Beast Boy's boyish voice abruptly broke the rowdy cheers of the people watching the fight.

"On a Tuesday!" Cyborg's manlier, but just as silly voice followed. Some of the onlookers turned their attention to the two and sent them death glares.

The two class clowns immediately regretted coming to the party late as they finally realized what was going down between the two redheads.

"Yo, what'd we miss?" Cyborg questioned lowly to Robin.

Beast Boy also chimed in before he could answer, "Yeah, Dude. Raven almost knocked me on my cheeks running down the stairs."

Robin didn't answer. Instead, he decided to walk over to the fighting boys, who were now on the balcony arguing, to break up the fight. Everyone else was too busy taking pictures on their phones or snapchatting what was happening.

"Roy, I'm sorry!" Kid Flash screamed. His face was covered in red flesh and beads of sweat as Speedy kept his hand loose around his neck. "I really am! I had no idea—"

"Did she scream your name?" Speedy drunkenly interrupted. His grip around the boy's neck tightened then loosened again.

Wally swallowed and glanced over at the still Robin. They were so close to the edge of the rail, he was scared he would take one step back and plunge to his death onto the freshly cut grass below. "Speedy, I don't really think that's necessa—"

"Tell me! And don't lie," he mumbled the last part so deviously, Wally couldn't begin to imagine what evil spirit had taken over him.

"Yes, she moaned and screamed my name! You happy?" Wally retorted back.

Suddenly, Speedy squeezed his throat as hard as he could manage and held him over the rail of the two-story balcony. Half of the boy's torso was leaning over the edge, and harsh tears began to roll down his soft face as his life flashed before his eyes.

"Oh my God!" Many people screamed; others let out terrified yelps.

"Speedy, let go!" "Stop!" his friends yelled all at once and ran onto the balcony.

"Don't touch me!" Speedy bellowed at Robin, Beast Boy, and Cyborg. They all slightly backed up; they didn't want to make things worse, but at the same time they weren't going to let him throw Wally over the balcony.

"Speedy, you're my best friend!" Wally coughed between cries. "I'm sorry. I love you, man." he whispered the last line as his best friend looked him in his blue eyes.

Speedy closed his own eyes and shook his head. He loosened the grip around the boy's neck, but continued to force him over the white, hopefully sturdy railing. "Why didn't you tell me, Wally?"

Kid Flash gulped. He didn't want to say the wrong thing, but he also wanted to be honest. "I didn't want to ruin what you felt for her, Speeds. I didn't want to hurt you."

Speedy finally lifted the boy up, allowing many relieved sighs to be let out. He took a few baby steps away from KF with his hands up in surrender. He dropped his arms and choked out, "You did anyway." With that, he walked through the double doors and out the room, everyone in the way immediately jumped out the way.

The other three friends ran over to the crying and coughing boy who almost lost his life and asked if he was alright. He assured them he was and stormed out of the room as well. Other people in the room either stood there still in shock or ran back downstairs to the music.

Beast Boy chuckled nervously and turned to a serious-faced Cyborg and Robin, "Uh, shall we get this party restarted?"

 **A/N: So, I know that was probably dramatic lol, but oh well. If you don't understand the title, the balcony scene was inspired by a scene from the movie,** _ **The Best Man**_ **, where this guy holds his best friend over a balcony after finding out he slept with his fiancée. However, the plot was totally different. Also, "the secret" was probably pretty obvious and predictable lol, but I thought maybe it was something a little atypical compared to your standard love triangle. Plus, this is a drama/romance, so it has to be dramatic lol. Lastly, I want to give a big thanks to** _ **rymilu**_ **for your kind, in-depth review. I really appreciate you taking the time and explaining what you thought, and I'm glad you like it :) Also, I'm not the most creative person, so I know it's kind of cliché, but that's fine lol. Your review made my day though, so thanks again, and thanks to anyone else reading.**

 **-RT**


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11 (I couldn't think of a name)

Disclaimer: I do not own the Titans :)

"Raven," Speedy called softly as he opened the bathroom door located in Wally's parents' master bedroom. He knew she would go as far away from the crowd as possible, and since Kid Flash's parents weren't home, their room was the perfect hiding place.

Raven was sitting on the toilet seat staring at the burgundy bath rug. The large space had two sinks complete with vanities, an automated toilet, a walk in shower, and a tub with Jacuzzi settings. It was fit for royalty.

The violet haired girl had her arms crossed and her right foot was tapping rapidly with anxiety. Her eyes were filled with tears, but she couldn't bring herself to cry. She was filled with so much pride and was so used to holding in her emotions that it was a struggle to let one tear fall. Besides, she didn't know if she was angry, humiliated, or just plain sad.

"What the hell, Roy?" she impulsively screamed at Roy as she balled her fists. "Did you have to tell the whole world?" Guess she was mostly humiliated.

Speedy sighed and sat on the tiled floor across from her. He held up his flask and said, "Obviously, I'm a little tipsy, Raven. I'm sorry I wasn't thinking straight, but why did you and Wally keep this from me?" he looked up at her as she concurrently looked down. She wasn't ready to face him just yet.

"I don't know. Guess we figured it was in the past," she mumbled. "Besides, I always thought he would tell you. Y'all are like brothers; it just seemed inevitable."

"I know," he mumbled as well. They hardly ever kept things away from each other, but Wally had never mentioned being intimate with his girl best friend. Then, as Speedy continued to ponder, he realized he had done everything in his power to keep his heroin addiction hidden from his buddy. He made excuses for every single thing and promised the boy he wouldn't lie to him. Even now, he was trying to dispose of it without the blue-eyed boy ever knowing about it.

Suddenly, a knock came at the door. "Speedy, you in there? Please talk to me. I'm really sorry, man."

Raven gave Speedy a look that said _you better talk to him_ and stood to open the door. She returned Wally's somber smile and walked away, still feeling down. She had to get home.

Kid Flash closed the door behind her and took a seat beside the quiet teen. "Look, Speedy, I—"

"Stop," Speedy raised his hand up, "no more apologies. I'm sorry, Wally. I overreacted, but you know I like her. Someone should've told me when they realized that."

Kid Flash shook his head up and down and let out a breath, "You're right, but all of this happened so fast. Then, I was paying so much attention to Jinx. And…I just didn't want to hurt you, Buddy. Think about how that made me feel to hold it in. My best friend finally actually likes a girl, and I've slept with her multiple times. It's just a hard thing to be burdened with, but I didn't know what to do."

Roy placed a hand on the whiny boy's shoulder. "I know, KF. I understand, but I let my anger and alcohol level get the best of me. I couldn't imagine life without my brother from another mother, so you know I'd never murder you."

Kid Flash let out a soft chuckle and guaranteed his buddy, "I know how much she means to you now, Roy. She's my best friend, and I think both of you need each other. You'll give valuable lessons to one another. She needs to let go of Robin and her pride, and you need to accept your emotions and let go of the groupies."

"If only Raven would actually listen to our advice."

Kid Flash elbowed his friend playfully and chirped, "Just keep trying, Buddy. You gotta be persistent with Raven."

Speedy smirked and asked, "Don't you think it's awkward that two dudes are chilling on the floor of an enclosed bathroom chatting about love."

The two stood up and dusted themselves off. "Uh, yeah. Kinda sorta," Kid Flash laughed, then smirked back. "But after that fight, no one can question your manliness."

The next day, they all went to school thinking everything was at least okay between them. They knew the whole school was going to be gossiping about the fight, and how it had even made it to WorldStar, but it was their last week of school and they just wanted to get through it.

It wasn't until Raven walked into the library and saw the dismal looks on Jinx and Kid Flash's face that her hope for a decent day was diminished. Besides Jinx was still giving her the cold shoulder.

"What's wrong?" she asked as she placed her blue bag on the carpeted floor.

Wally sighed and said, "Speedy isn't at school today. We have no idea if he's going to show up tonight to finish the video."

"What?" Raven said angrily. "Did you text him or something?"

Kid Flash shook his head up and down as Jinx continued to glare at her. "Yeah, multiple times. He just keeps reading my messages."

"I'll try," she mumbled to herself and took out her phone. As she typed a mean message to the boy, she could still feel Jinx's eyes stabbing her body. Fed up with her and Speedy, she finally stated, "Look, you idiots can't seriously be angry that we slept together. We were best friends before we met either of you, and I think we have the right to be friends with benefits. Besides it's been a couple months, not a couple days."

Raven didn't even realize how loud she'd been until Kid Flash whispered, "Raven, calm down," and she noticed everyone's amusing stares and Robin stumbling out of the room with a wretched frown.

"Oh," Raven blushed, embarrassed. She stood up to go check on Robin, leaving her two project partners to dwell in the embarrassment. She stepped into the hall of red lockers and saw the boy practically running outside with his head towards the floor. "Robin, wait up!" She jogged to catch up only for him to be standing outside waiting on her.

"Hey," he started, scratching the back of his head, "Raven. What's up?"

Raven tried to catch her breath and said, "Why'd you run out of there like that?"

Suddenly, "Why didn't you tell me, Raven?" he got a little louder and less innocent. "We tell each other everything, and you didn't think I had the right to know?"

Raven began to feel her blood boil. "Actually, Robin, you don't have the right to know. My sex life is private information between me and whoever I fucked."

Robin took a step back and looked at the sidewalk they were standing on. "Just like your love life, right?" he murmured gloomily. His deep voice was slightly shaky and his eyes were closed under his glasses.

Raven tried to soften up, but it just wasn't her forte. "Yes, like my love life. Robin, there's a reason—"

"Why Wally?" His now stern voice interrupted as he looked her in her face.

She squinted her eyes at the taller boy and said dryly, "What do you mean why Wally?"

What he said next stunned her into oblivion. "Why not me?" he paused and pointed at himself, but she was speechless. "We're best friends, too. What made you pick him over me?"

"Robin, I…" Raven struggled to say. This wasn't supposed to be the way she admitted her love for him.

Part of the reason Raven picked Wally was because she wanted her first time to be with someone she loved and really cared about, and someone she knew would always be there by her side. However, the main reason was because she was trying to find a way to get over Robin, and her young, naïve, sixteen year old self thought sex could help with that. She made sure she told Wally from the jump, so he wouldn't feel betrayed, and he helped her as best as he could. Yet, when he realized just how much she really did love Robin, he suggested they stop.

"I get it. He's always been the better friend," Robin said and began to shake his head at himself. "He doesn't disappear for days at a time. He doesn't put sports and hobbies before you. You guys don't need a set day to hang out. Plus, he's just more fun than me. I get it."

Raven folded her arms and decided to take the pressure off herself. "That's not true at all, Robin. Why do you care so much anyway?"

Now, he was speechless. "I-I…"

' _Here we go again.'_ Raven rolled her eyes, remembering that day at the powderpuff game. This time she knew he wouldn't say _I love you_.

"I love you, Raven," or maybe she was wrong, "like a sister." Or maybe not.

Raven laughed angrily, hurt despite the fact that she wasn't surprised, "Well, most brothers don't ask their sisters why they didn't have sex with them instead."

He began to laugh nervously, "You know what I mean. I'm just very protective of you."

Raven rolled her eyes once again as she turned to go back inside, sarcasm dripping from her voice, "Well, thanks a lot, Robin. Really."

"I can't believe Ronald McDonald didn't show up!" Jinx shouted with her hands on top of her head. They were sitting in Wally's living room, and they had been waiting over an hour for Speedy to show up. Wally tried stopping by his house, but apparently he wasn't here.

Kid Flash shook his head and sighed, "I hope this doesn't stop him from graduating. He doesn't have the best grade in this class."

The two looked at the brooding Raven sitting in the corner. She'd been quiet ever since going to check on Robin, and she could barely face KF and Jinx after what happened the day before. "I just hope he's okay," she finally spoke up.

Jinx folded her arms and sassed, "Of course he's okay. I bet we'd find him if we drove over to the red light district."

Raven frowned and growled, "Come on, Jinx. Speedy's going through a lot right now. Have some compassion."

Jinx took a step closer to the girl sitting in the black recliner and narrowed her eyes. "I'm supposed to take advice about compassion from the coldhearted queen?"

Raven glanced at Wally who was looking at the two fearfully and murmured, "I'm trying to do better, okay? I'm trying to show and feel emotions, but it's not that easy."

"Yeah, because you've been shutting yourself off from the world all your life." Jinx stepped back and sat on the arm of the couch. "I'm creepy, too, Raven, but at least I'm happy."

Raven dropped her head. "You wouldn't understand. Not many people understand."

Kid Flash smiled and ran to put a hand on her shoulder. "Well, you know I understand, Raven, and I see progress in you." Raven looked up at him with big eyes as he continued to grin. "I'm proud of you."

"I know I'm a hard ass, but I respect you for trying," Jinx gave her a small smile. "And I'm sorry for hitting you yesterday. I was just filled with jealousy. I really like your best friend."

Kid Flash blushed as he dropped his hand from Raven's shoulder. "And I really like you, too."

Raven decided to swallow her selfishness. She didn't really want her friend to have a girlfriend, because then he'd just spend less time with her, but at the same time she wanted him to be happy. "Why don't you guys just make it official?"

The two looked at her with wide eyes, surprised that she'd make that suggestion. "You'd be okay with that, Rae?" Wally raised an eyebrow. He didn't want Raven to feel completely alone, and he had no idea if Speedy was still the right choice for her.

Raven shook her head up and down as Jinx sauntered over to the redhead. "She's right, Wally. We're not getting any younger."

Kid Flash grinned once again and planted a sloppy wet kiss on the pink haired girl's lips. "Okay, girlfriend," he breathed as their lips separated.

Jinx blushed and scratched her neck. "So, what are we going to do without Speedy? We can't allow ourselves to fail for him."

Raven swallowed another ball of spit. She had to tell them. Mainly because Wally deserved to know, but also because she was beginning to fear the worst. What if Speedy was somewhere in an ally dead or passed out in his car? What if he'd overdosed somewhere and no one around him cared? She had to find him.

"What if I told you guys I might know how to find Speedy?" Raven's voice echoed across the well decorated room.

They both looked at her dumbly as Jinx roared, "I'd say why the hell didn't you say something sooner?!"

Raven stood up her with her arms crossed across her chest. "You guys have to promise not to tell anyone. He didn't want me to say anything, but I'm really worried about him."

Kid Flash's face went from slightly angry to curious. "What is it, Rae?"

Raven took a deep breath and said, "Speedy has a drug addiction. Heroin to be exact. He's gotten rid of it once before, but ever since all this drama started, he's relapsed."

"What!?" Wally's voice was next to echo throughout the whole mansion. He began frantically shaking his head. "No, Speedy's my best friend. I would notice if he was on drugs."

Raven eyed the boy sympathetically. "He did everything in his power to hide it from you. He didn't want you to judge him or think he was a bad person."

"Why would I do that?" Kid Flash whispered to no one.

Jinx raised her hands in a defensive motion, "Okay, I get you're hurt, Wally, but are we just going to stand here or are we going to go save him?"

"Save him?" Raven repeated.

Kid Flash perked up with a little motivation. "I like the sound of that. Let's go kick heroin's butt."

Raven and Jinx couldn't help but burst out in laughter. "Wally, you are so corny."

 **A/N: Okay, sorry, I know that was kind of an odd and maybe boring chapter. Hopefully, you'll think the next one is more interesting. Once again, thank you** _ **rymilu**_ **. Your reviews keep me inspired lol, and I really appreciate them. Hopefully, I can keep you entertained :) Thanks to everyone reading, and I'll upload the next chapter tomorrow!**

 **-RT**


	12. Fantastic Three

**12\. The Fantastic Three**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own them. And I know the Fantastic Four are Marvel, but whatever lol**

"Is it too late to drop the superhero label?" Jinx mumbled from the passenger seat as Wally slowly cruised through a rundown neighborhood. Buildings were crumbling and falling apart and liquor stores were on every corner. Every other house was abandoned, and half of the residents were standing around loitering and drinking. This was something neither of them had ever witnessed in reality before.

"Where do we start?" Kid Flash spoke as he looked into his rearview mirror at a worried Raven. "How do we know which one is the drug house?"

Raven hunched her shoulders and murmured, "I guess we just have to ask around."

"Oh boy," Jinx cried sarcastically and put her palm on her forehead. "We're going to die."

Raven watched as one guy in a black hoodie swapped a small bag with another guy who was dressed similarly. "Stop the car!" she screamed out of nowhere, making Kid Flash slam on the breaks in the middle of the road.

"Whoa, Raven, what are you doing?" Wally called as she began to unbuckle her seatbelt. "You can't just walk up on a drug deal. They might have weapons."

"Yeah, Raven, you're not exactly welcomed over here," Jinx assured her.

Raven put her hand on the handle of the door and forcefully said, "Watch me." She pushed the door open as cars blew at Wally to move out of the street. Raven marched over to the guy who'd sold the bag.

"The fuck do you want?" he growled and looked her up and down. "I don't think you belong over here."

Raven grinded her teeth and put on the meanest face she could make. "I don't remember asking for your opinion. Now where can a bitch find some heroin around here?"

The dude smirked at her, realizing she was one of them. Or so he thought. "About five blocks down. Big red house. Can't miss it."

Raven smirked back and said, "Alright. Appreciate it." She walked briskly back to the car and told Kid Flash what the guy said.

"What were you thinking, Raven?" Wally screamed angrily as he pushed the gas. "That guy could've killed you!"

Jinx's adrenaline filled laughter took over the car. "Well, I think that was so bad ass! You're so fearless, Raven."

Raven ignored the two. Her blood was pumping so fast, and she was nervous as all out doors, but she couldn't let that show. She had to find Speedy no matter the costs. She knew he'd do it for her.

"Wally, stop!" she shouted and once again he slammed on the brakes. Thank God they were all wearing seatbelts. "There's the big red house."

"Darn it, Raven," he scoured, "you're determined to give me a heart attack before the end of the night."

Raven wasted no time opening the door, but Jinx's voice stopped her from getting any further from the car. "Raven, wait—"

"We're going with you," Wally finished her sentence as he hopped out the car. "You're not going in there by yourself. We're a team, remember?"

Raven shook her head and whispered, "Well, come on."

Jinx stood still and said, "Wait, we can't just walk in there. It seems suspect."

Wally put an arm around her shoulder and assured her, "I'll protect you. And Raven. I won't let anything happen to you guys."

Raven rolled her eyes at their dramatics. "We can go around the back and see if there's a way in. Just be quiet and act normal. Well, like a druggie."

Kid Flash shook his head in agreement and led the way to the back. They stopped on the side of the house and covered themselves in dirt and tried to rip their clothes to give off an unkempt appearance. When they finally made it to the back, they realized there was some kind of party going on. They'd blown up an inflatable pool, and there were plenty people surrounding a table playing poker. Everyone else was gyrating and sipping beer.

The three teens took in their surroundings. What kind of trap house was this?

"Look, guys!" Jinx exclaimed lowly and pointed to a patio. Inside, they could see people were also drinking and dancing while others were playing a fiery game of pool.

"Now, we just gotta find a way to walk inside without seeming like cops," Kid Flash said sternly.

Jinx shook her head and pointed again. "No, look." Raven and Kid Flash finally thought about what she really meant and looked down to see Speedy slumped up against the wall behind the pool table. He was so close to getting stepped on, but he didn't look like he cared. In fact, he didn't even look alive.

"Speedy!" Raven cried out and started towards the door, but Wally grabbed her by her waist and pulled her back.

"Wait, Raven," he ordered and motioned for her to look up. "What's that guy doing?"

Raven looked where Wally was motioning and saw a big, bald, older guy stomping towards Speedy. He had a butcher's knife in his hand and a cold look in his eyes.

"Guys, we have to save him," Raven whined to her partners, but they were frozen in fear. They had no idea what to do.

The guy kicked Speedy in the side, making him stir. He yanked the red head up by his collar and threw him against the wall. Soon, the crowd inside was surrounding them and cheering on the older, scarier guy. The guy began throwing punches at the high boy and to the crowd's amazement Speedy began fighting back. But the older, more sober guy was winning. Soon, Speedy's blood was beginning to swallow his chin, and he could feel his eye swelling.

"I'm going to help!" Raven screamed as the crowd from the outside began to force themselves through the patio. Jinx and KF finally came to their senses and followed her while simultaneously trying to pull her back.

"If I don't get my money, I will have your head. Literally," they heard Speedy's opponent speak viciously as they settled inside the room. He placed the knife on Speedy's neck and made cutting sounds with his mouth.

Raven didn't know what came over her, but suddenly she was filled with rage. Before she knew it, she'd flown over to the tall man and whacked him in his jaw from the side. His knife hit the ground with a pang as he let go of the redhead.

"Somebody get this cunt before I chop her up right along with him!" The man bellowed and punched Raven back in her jaw, knocking her to the ground.

Out of nowhere, Speedy pounced the man, making him fall to the ground. "Don't ever fucking touch her again!" Suddenly, he was winning the fight until the man managed to flip them over.

" _Stooopppp_!" Everyone froze as Wally projected his voice over all the music and loud breathing. They looked at him and saw that he was holding a black pistol in the air. "I swear if anyone moves, I'll fire."

Raven and Jinx watched Kid Flash with rapidly beating hearts and dropped jaws. "Wally…" Jinx whispered, she was actually scared for all of their lives. She'd never seen Wally so viscous or Speedy so scared.

"Jinx, help Raven up while I get Speedy, and let's go. Now." Wally's face showed nothing but seriousness as he continued to point the gun at the crowd. "I dare any of you fuckers to make a move." With one hand he grabbed Speedy by the arm and pulled him towards the door while his other hand stayed on the cold metal. The two frightened girls followed closely behind as they ran out the door and into the car. Raven helped the drunken Speedy buckle his seatbelt as Kid Flash sped down the road.

"Wow, Wally, that was…" Jinx started but couldn't find the words to say.

"Intense," Raven finished for her as she touched her sore, red jaw.

"Where'd you get a gun from?" Jinx questioned as she remembered the fear she felt when she noticed the weapon in the boy's hand.

Wally sighed as he got as far away from that neighborhood as he possibly could. "I didn't know what we were getting ourselves into, so I brought my dad's gun for extra protection. There was no way I was going to let any of us die in there."

Jinx's face grew a smirk as she teased, "You're our hero, Wally."

"Honestly, I almost crapped my pants," he chuckled nervously.

Raven's mind drifted off as she looked over at the tall boy sitting beside her in the back seat. His head was resting on the window, and he was quiet as ever. She couldn't tell if he was sleeping or just out of it.

"Speedy, you okay?" she finally decided to ask.

Speedy's lips parted but it took a minute for words to flow out. "I'm fine, Raven. You guys should've just left me there."

"What?" she eyed him angrily. "We risked our lives to save you from that dump. You could at least be grateful."

Speedy shot up straight and looked the girl in her eyes from behind his sunglasses. "For what? For you guys prolonging my demise? I went there for a reason, and it's because I don't want to be _here_ anymore."

Raven turned away from the boy and looked out the window at the changing sky. The sky would soon be filled with darkness but yet stars of hope. "You don't mean that, Roy."

Speedy chuckled, annoyed. "I do mean it. What is life?"

Raven didn't know what to say to a suicidal person. Comforting him was already a struggle enough for her, now he wanted to die? She didn't know how to react.

She swallowed her pride and whispered, "Speedy, you have us. We're going to be here for you. I'm going to be here for you."

Speedy's chin fell to his chest and his eyelids shut. "No one ever means that, Raven. What makes you any different?"

Raven was speechless. Did she really mean what she was saying? "Speedy—"

"Stop the car, Wally," his deep voice interrupted.

She immediately retorted, "No, don't stop the car, Wally," making Wally's feet do a dance on the pedals.

"I said stop the car," venom poured from Speedy's mouth. "I'm going to walk home."

"No, no, no," Jinx fussed. "You know we went through all of that so that we could finish the project. You're not going to leave us hanging again."

Speedy shook his head with another annoyed chuckle, "You guys only found me so you wouldn't get an _F_ on your stupid project? And here I thought someone actually cared about my wellbeing for a change. Let me out, Wally."

Wally was about to protest when Speedy bellowed at him to let him out once again. He unlocked the doors, defeated, as his mentally lost best friend found his way out of the car. He watched the boy's feet pound away at the sidewalk as he took a turn through an alley.

"I cannot believe this," Jinx sighed and slumped in her seat.

"Guys," Wally called as he snuck a glance from both of them, "Speedy needs help. Mentally and emotionally."

 **A/N: Okay, I know that probably seemed wild and crazy and weird, but oh well :) Speedy's not actually suicidal; I don't want to make this** _ **that**_ **dramatic. So, that was just the drugs talking. Also, it was kind of short, but I didn't want to make it too long, so I ended it here. Thank you** _ **rymilu**_ **and** _ **Raven TheGothicBird**_ **for your reviews. They mean a lot to me :) And of course Raven has to at least somewhat keep her promise lol.**

 **P.S. Also, thanks to everyone who favorite and follow the story. I see you too :)**


	13. Suit and Tie

13\. Suit and Tie

"And as long as I've got my suit and tie, I'ma leave it all on the floor tonight. And you got fixed up to the nines. Let me show you a few things. All pressed up in black and white, and you're dressed in that dress I like. Love is swinging in the air tonight."- Justin Timberlake

 **Disclaimer: I don't own the song or Titans :)**

"I'll give you guys a high B since the parts you did do were surprisingly pretty amazing," Mr. Mod said snottily with his loafers propped on top of his desk and his chair leaning back a little too far.

Raven, KF, and Jinx had just finished presenting their unfinished video. They were the last to present, and everyone in the class had really enjoyed it; they just wished they weren't left hanging at the end. Well, everyone in the class, except Robin. His skin was currently crawling and peeling off his body from seeing Raven and Speedy kissing so passionately. Plus, since when did Raven dress like that and wear makeup? She was changing right before his eyes.

After class, "Oh, Robin! Didn't you just love seeing Friend Raven and Friend Speedy so happy together?" Starfire squealed to her dark, brooding crush in the hall. "They remind me so much of us!"

Robin unconsciously slammed his locker and turned to the grinning, green-eyed beauty. "They're not like us, Star," he said lowly. "Speedy's not a good guy, and he's especially not good enough for Raven. Raven deserves someone like me."

Starfire's grin slowly turned upside down as she stared at her rose colored sandals. "Do you…have the crush on Friend Raven?" This questioned knocked Robin into his thoughts.

 _Flashback: Raven and Robin's Recent Sleepover_

" _Raven, what's your biggest fear?" Robin asked softly from the pallet he'd made on the floor beside Raven's bed._

 _Raven rolled in her bed and pondered the question, wondering why he'd even asked that. "I don't know. I guess dying unhappy and lonely." She was sure that wasn't her only fear, but it was definitely her biggest. "What's yours?"_

 _Robin scooted uncomfortably on the floor and dazed out the window at the night stars. "I guess mine is losing the ones I love again."_

 _Raven rolled her eyes and assured, "You're not going to lose them, Robin."_

" _Us."_

" _What?"_

" _You said_ them _, but you should've said_ us _," he explained. "We're best friends, remember?"_

 _Raven realized what he was saying and let out a low, "Oh…right."_

" _You're not going to die unhappy or lonely, Raven," he said while sitting up. She was turned to the other side, so that she wasn't facing him. "As long as I'm alive, I'm going to make sure of that."_

 _She rolled over to the other side and her eyes instantly doubled in size. "Why don't you have on a shirt?" she asked and closed her eyes to stop from staring._

 _Robin scratched his hair nervously and said, "Oh, yeah. I can't really sleep well with clothes on."_

 _Raven gulped, "Oh, God, please tell me you have on pants."_

 _Robin smiled sheepishly and rushed, "Yes, I have on pants! That would…just be awkward."_

 _Raven could feel butterflies rising in her stomach at the thought of Robin being in her room in nothing but boxers. "Good."_

 _Robin exhaled and fell back onto his pillows. He tried to think about Kori to take his mind off the moment he and his friend had just suffered, but suddenly he couldn't get said friend out his head. He couldn't help but think about how beautiful she looked as the moonlight highlighted her exotic face. What was happening to him?_

Robin finally came to his senses and argued, "No! I like you, Star. Raven's just a friend. Nothing more."

On the other side of the hall Terra started up a conversation with the violet haired girl herself. "Raven, we have to get your dress today. Prom is tomorrow for Pete's sake."

Raven shut her locker door and looked into her friend's blue eyes. "I don't even know if I'm still going," she mumbled and began to walk; she was getting annoyed at watching Robin and Starfire in a deep conversation across the way.

"What?" Terra exclaimed as she struggled to keep up with her pace. "You have to, Rae. You can't miss your senior prom."

Raven sighed as she searched for her keys in her small, black, crossbody purse. "I was only going because Speedy asked. But he's gone MIA on us. I don't even know if he knows what today is let alone tomorrow."

Terra stepped in front of Raven as she attempted to open her car door. "Raven," she forced, "you can't let Speedy stop you from experiencing life. You'll live to regret it."

Raven stared at her tomboyish friend. She was right. She didn't have many good memories from the past four years. Maybe prom was her last chance, and she probably would regret it if she never attempted to have fun at her last big high school event. She had to go.

"Okay," she gave in to Terra's pleas. "I'll go."

"Great!" Terra did a little happy dance. "I already told BB to pick me up from your house anyway. Who knows maybe Speedy'll show up, and if not, you can be our date."

Raven tried to force a smile on her face. "Let's go get that dress."

"No way," Raven groaned dryly at the hideous dress Terra was holding in her hands. It was black and covered in lace and shrills and had tulle hanging from the end.

Terra groaned as well and complained, "Come on, Rae. I've shown you every black dress in here. This is the best dress store in Jump."

Raven remembered that day at KF's house when Speedy confessed his fondness for her and had an idea. "Actually, I think I want a red dress."

Terra perked up. "Really, red?" Raven very rarely wore color, especially bold and vivid ones like red. She shook her head up and down much to the blonde's delight. "I saw the most beautiful, red dress on the other side of the store! You have to try it on."

Raven let out a shriek as Terra jerked her hand and dragged her to the other side of the store to the narrow selection of scarlet dresses. She picked up the most exquisite mermaid dress and practically pushed Raven into the dressing room.

"Um." Raven looked at herself in the mirror. The dress actually looked amazing and hugged her figure in all the right places. "I think I need help with the zipper."

Terra eased in, zipped up the dress, and stared at their reflection in awe. "Please, say yes to the dress, Raven. You look amazing."

Raven thought about what Robin's reaction would be if he saw her in a dress like this. He would definitely be stunned and probably wouldn't be able to take his eyes off her. "I'm getting it," she decided.

"Yay," Terra gleamed and helped her out the dress. She couldn't wait to play dress up the next day. She was going to make sure they were the most beautiful girls in the room.

The next night, "Thank you again, guys, for letting me get ready with you," Jinx expressed gratitude as she placed a shoe on each foot. She, Terra, and Raven were in Raven's room in the midst of getting ready for the big night. "I know I'm not usually part of your group."

At the moment, Raven was sitting on her vanity stool while Terra was placing her long, violet hair into the most elegant yet messy bun at the nape of her neck. "Well, you're one of us now," Terra said happily as the pink rooted girl handed her pale friend a pair of small, black pearls.

"Yeah," Raven continued nonchalantly as she placed the earrings in her ear, "welcome to the good side."

Jinx chuckled at their cheesiness. "Wanna do her makeup?" Terra directed towards her. Both of them were already dressed since Raven insisted on getting ready last just in case she decided not to go.

"Sure," Jinx smirked and prepared to work her magic with both her and Terra's makeup bag.

Raven looked at her violet eyes staring back at her in the mirror. For the first time, she realized just how much of a natural beauty she really was. She was finally beginning to see what everyone else saw. "Can you go for a soft, natural look?"

"One natural glam coming up!" Jinx shouted and put her hands to work.

They were all caught without voices after the finished product. They admired themselves in the mirror as their nervousness for the night finally began to break through.

The blonde began tooching her bottom and striking Vogue-worthy poses. "We are slayed to the gods!"

Jinx sighed and sat on the bed with anxiety, "And yet I bet somehow Kori is going to still manage to look ten times better than everyone there."

"And win prom queen," Terra added. Raven nodded knowing they were right. And of course Robin would end up being her king.

Suddenly, "Girls," Arella's motherly voice rang through the air, "the guys are starting to arrive."

Jinx and Terra rushed down the stairs in their fancy gowns to figure out if the first guy to arrive was Beast Boy or Kid Flash. Turns out it was BB.

"Wow," the greenish boy echoed with round green eyes, "Terra, you look more than amazing."

The blonde really did look picture perfect in the high low purple gown she'd purchased to match BB's purple and green vest and bow tie. She'd taken the time to curl every piece of her hair and the soft nude lipstick she was wearing made her blue eyes pop.

Then, a knock came at the door. Jinx slowly opened it with shaky hands to reveal an equally nervous Wally. He was trembling with a corsage in his hand and a smile riding his face. He was sporting a yellow tux jacket, black slacks, and a red bowtie.

His date was rocking a strapless, sparkly black mermaid dress with even darker tulle touching the floor. Her vibrant pink hair was in a curly half up half down do. "You never cease to amaze me, Wally," Jinx sneered as the boy kissed her cheek.

"You look beautiful," he whispered and slipped the yellow and red flower onto her wrist.

Out of nowhere, Arella broke the silence with her typical parent behavior. "Come on, everyone. Picture time!"

After taking what seemed like a hundred pictures, Wally noticed the distant look on Raven's face. "You okay, Raven?" he enquired, but the girl wouldn't reply. "You're going to have fun without Speedy."

"I just don't want to feel like the third wheel," she finally spoke. "I don't want to ruin your night."

The redhead chuckled and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "You know we wouldn't do that to you. Besides it's kinda sexy being independent for prom." Raven gave him a small smile and thanked him for making her feel better.

"Okay, dudes! Let's go spike some punch!" Beast Boy clapped his hands together, but then quickly reworded his statement when he saw the glare the older violet-haired beauty was giving him. "I mean drink some punch!"

Kid Flash laughed and reached to open the door to get the night started. But when he did, Raven took a step backwards and almost hit her head on the grand staircase. In the doorway was a tall, freshly shaved, and well-tailored Roy Harper. His hair had grown a little longer, so there were short orange bangs hanging over his forehead. He was suited in a red jacket with satin black lapels, a crisp, white button down and a yellow bow tie to finish it off. His black trousers were tailored perfectly for his body, and to correlate with his sporty style, his feet were settled in a pair of all black Jordans. In his hands were a single, yellow rose with red tips and a yellow corsage. It was like a scene out of a movie.

"Speedy," Raven broke the dreamy silence of her stunned friends. "You came…"

Speedy looked up from the ground he was staring at with a handsome smirk in his eyes. "I see you took my advice."

 **A/N: I know this isn't the best chapter especially after a month's wait, but IMO the next chapter is much more entertaining and dramatic as usual. Hopefully, you guys think so, too. It's definitely longer, so that's a plus :) Thank you** _ **rymilu**_ **for your thorough reviews. They mean so much :) Hopefully you still care lol. Anyway, thanks for reading!**


	14. Have you Ever?

14\. Have You Ever

" _Have you finally found the one you've given your heart to? Only to find that one won't give their heart to you? Have you ever closed your eyes and dreamed that they were there? And all you can do is wait for the day when they will care." –Brandy_

 **Disclaimer: This song is perfect for how Raven feels, but I don't it, her, or any of the others.**

"Yeah," Raven mumbled, still in shock with a fast beating heart, "I guess red really is my color."

Speedy stepped into the crowd, closing the door behind him. "You look absolutely stunning." The others were just standing there, eyes big and lips parted. They were probably all thinking the same things. How did he clean up so fast? He actually remembered? How's Raven going to react when she snaps out of her state of shock?

"Thanks," she replied and relaxed her shoulders. She really did look amazing in the scarlet, off the shoulder, sparkling, body hugging mermaid dress. Around the knee area, it branched off into just the right amount of tulle and left a small train in the back.

Speedy stepped closer to the bug-eyed girl and handed her the red-tipped rose. She gripped it close to her chest as he slid the corsage elegantly onto her other wrist. The room was so tense and quiet, neither of them wanted to make a peep. She couldn't even bear to look up into his face.

Suddenly, Arella broke the awkward silence and squealed, "Okay. Now I have to get pictures of you two together. Come stand in the light!" She motioned for them to follow and snapped up at least fifty more pictures.

"You guys ready?" KF asked moments after the last flash of the camera. Everyone nodded and started towards the door.

Once outside, Speedy turned to Raven and scratched his right ear as he stated, "I don't have a limo for you like the others, but I do have a working car with a full tank of gas."

Raven gave him a tiny leer, "As long as you don't kill me or anyone else, it's fine."

"Nonsense," Wally butted in while putting a hand on each of their shoulders, "our limo's big enough for the four of us. It can be like a double date!"

Speedy shook his head, "No, I'm tired of you helping me out, Wally. I don't need your pity or your money."

His two friends looked at him worriedly. Then, Wally assured him, "You know I'm not going to let my best friend drive to prom when there's enough space in my overpriced Hummer limo. I'm not doing it, because I feel sorry for you, but because I want to."

"Fine," Speedy sighed, defeated. He grabbed his date's hand and led her to the long, white vehicle. He held the door open for her after KF and Jinx, but when he lifted her hand to help her step into the ride, she wouldn't budge. "What is it, Gem?"

Raven snatched her hand away and folded her arms as a grimace graced her face. "Why did you blow up on us like that the other day?" He stared at her speechless. "Why did you disappear for a whole day and a half and leave me wondering?"

Speedy told the two inside to hold on as he shut the white door. "Raven, I—"

"I was dreading spending this night alone, and I had no idea what to think about us," she spit out fiercely.

"Us?" he immediately repeated. "So, there is an us?"

Now, she was speechless. "You know what I mean, Roy."

He swallowed spit and said, "No, actually I don't." He eyed her and saw her staring off to the side with her teeth piercing her bottom lip. "Raven, do you know what that rose symbolizes?"

She shook her head _no_. "No, a flower is just a plant to me."

"Maybe you'll figure it out by the end of the night," he murmured as he took a step closer to her. "And by the end of the night, I hope you understand how truly sorry I am for putting you through all of this. I begged you to help me, but then I denied your help. You risked your life for me. I probably should be dead right now, but instead I'm here sharing this incredible moment with you."

Raven appreciated his apology, but she didn't know if she could accept it just yet. "Promise me you won't even so much as drink tonight."

Speedy chuckled at her unintentional worry, "I promise, Gem. And I promise to make sure you have the best night of your life."

Raven smirked as she took it upon herself to open the limo door, "Doubt it, but I guess it's worth a shot."

"Wow, it looks amazing in here," Terra said as they strolled into the building. The theme was some sort of enchanted forest, and it was lined with unusually shaped trees and dim lights. It mimicked a magical, starry night.

"It really does," Jinx squeezed Wally's hand eagerly and ran to the dance floor. "Come on let's dance!"

Terra and BB immediately followed suit. "I've been waiting to show off my new moves all night!" Beast Boy shouted over the loud, fast-paced, pop song.

Speedy scratched his hair uneasily and glanced at his unamused date. "I'm guessing you don't want to join."

Raven glared at him and said, "Obviously not. I can enjoy the scene from here." She folded her arms and started tapping her foot impatiently.

Speedy gulped. How was he supposed to entertain her all night? "How about some punch?"

Raven looked at how red he was and realized how nervous she was making him, so she tried to crack a smile, "Yeah…that would be nice."

Meanwhile, as Speedy started towards the punch bowl, Robin and Starfire were arriving fashionably late. And fashionable they were. Everyone around stopped and gawked as Starfire made her way past them with her arm in Robin's. Her tanned skin was gleaming in a sparkling, emerald green, floor-length, sheath gown with a slit that stopped right above her knee. Her long, red hair was straight and slicked so that all of the strands were flowing gracefully down her back, and her make up accentuated the sparkle in her eyes perfectly.

Robin matched her sharpness in a nicely-tailored, white blazer with black lapels similar to Speedy's, a crisp, black, button up adorned with a vivid green bowtie, and creased, slim, black slacks. His hair was slicked down with his favorite gel as opposed to his normal spiky look, and he reeked of his signature cologne.

As they strolled in, Robin noticed a violet-haired figure facing the dancefloor with her arms crossed.

' _Is that Raven…,'_ he thought. _'No, Raven would never wear such a form fitting dress, especially a cherry red one.'_ Yet, he knew it had to be her. No one else had her hair color or exotic skin tone.

As he drifted out of his thoughts, he realized that he was unconsciously walking over to the figure while his date was taking in all the admiration she was receiving.

"Raven," he called lowly when he reached her.

To his slight surprise, he was met with his best friend's face. "Oh, hey, Robin," she said in her usual monotone. "Nice suit."

But the dark-haired boy was speechless. He ran a hand over his slicked down locks and started, "Raven, you look…" he raked his brain for the most accurate word, "breathtaking."

All of a sudden, a firm hand was on his shoulder. "What's up, Grayson? I see you discovered how beautiful my date looks tonight." Speedy stood next to Raven and wrapped his arm around her waist, much to her dislike.

Suddenly, Robin involuntarily yet strongly felt the need to compete with the debonair couple standing in front of him. "Not as beautiful as my date," he alleged assertively. Then, he almost instantly realized what he'd just said when both of their faces were swiftly covered in disgust.

Raven's skin flushed red as she pulled herself from Speedy and stormed away. "Raven, wait," her date called after her, but she disappeared in a flash. He swallowed a ball of anger and turned to the embarrassed, shamefaced boy, "That was just low, Robin. You really are blind, huh?"

Robin grabbed Speedy's forearm as he started to walk away, "That came out really wrong. I didn't mean it like that at all. I swear!" Speedy wasn't buying his pleas. "I…I'm just…just—"

"Just what, Grayson?" The redhead asked impatiently. He had to find Raven before she ruined her eyes with tears.

Robin let go of the taller boy's arm and admitted to himself, _'Just…jealous.'_ Then, he looked to the ground and said aloud, "Really competitive."

Speedy shook his head in disbelief and stomped away. He searched all over the room for his date, but she was nowhere to be found. According to the girls waltzing in and out of the bathroom, she wasn't in there either. Then, he slapped himself on the forehead. The answer was right in his face.

To go alone with the theme, the prom committee had constructed a mystical forest in the courtyard behind the building. Where else would Raven be? He rushed outside like he was running on the track and took in the exquisiteness of the makeshift wonderland. It was the perfect setting for a magical, romantic night. There weren't too many couples outside yet since most of them were inside tearing up the dance floor. Suddenly, he saw something violet that almost blended in with the mystical atmosphere of the night. As he moved closer to it, he saw the sparkly red and knew exactly what it was.

"I'm really sorry, Raven," he murmured as he sat next to her under the one, authentic, willow tree. She looked up at him with watery eyes and folded her arms on top of her knees. "He's a fool."

"I've tried so hard and for so long to get him to see me the way I see him," she mumbled, exhausted. "But for what?" And with that she buried her face into her arms.

Speedy sighed and let his noggin fall back onto the bark of the tree. He didn't know what could possibly make her feel better at this point, but he knew there was no way he was going to let Robin ruin her...their night. If he did, that would only make her go back into her shell even more.

"Raven—"

"I feel so dumb!" her head shot back up at the sound of his voice. "Of course, he doesn't love me. Why would he? I'm dull, creepy, and apparently ugly."

"He didn't say—"

"He implied it, Speedy," she deadpanned and looked the other way. "Why am I doing this to myself? Why am I bringing pain upon myself?"

Speedy put a hand on her shoulder and assured, "Raven, a lot of people do crazy things when they're in love. And a lot of people believe what they want to believe, but that's normal. That's called hope and positivity."

Raven stared at the redhead beside her. She didn't think he'd actually be able to comfort her, but just being in his presence was beginning to make her feel better. "I'm so sorry, Roy."

"For what?" he wondered out loud, honestly confused.

Raven shook her head and mumbled, "I haven't been the nicest to you. And I definitely haven't given you my all like you've done for me." Then, she swallowed her pride and choked out, "Robin's not the only blind one."

Speedy couldn't help but let a small smile grace his face. "It's okay, Gem. We're all blinded by love at some point."

"God," Raven growled at the sky and whispered, "Why do I still love him?" Speedy's heart tore apart from hearing her speak those words. He already knew how she felt, but just hearing her say it always did something to him.

Suddenly, a tear began slowly made its way out of her eye, but his finger stopped it before it rolled off her face. "He's not worth your tears, Raven," he said sternly.

She straightened up her face and exhaled, "Tell that to my eyes."

"Besides," he smirked and picked up her left hand, "you wouldn't want to mess up that pretty face."

Meanwhile, back on the inside, Terra, BB, Jinx, and Kid Flash had all made their way to a table with Cyborg and Bumblebee, who were all cuddled up.

Moments later, "Guys," Terra called as they were enjoying the food from the fancy caterers the prom committee hired, "I just had the best idea."

"Sounds like something BB would say right before something stupid comes out of his mouth," Cyborg stated before shoving a fork full of shrimp alfredo in his mouth.

Terra glared at him and started to speak, but before she could even make a sound, she was interrupted by her boyfriend, "I guess I'm rubbing off on you, Mama."

"What makes you think I'm going to say something stupid, Gar?" She squinted her eyes at him evilly, daring him to answer the question. He just chuckled nervously with a mouth full of food.

"What's your idea, Ter?" Jinx snickered at her new friend's annoyance. Wally was reclined back in his chair with a grin on his face and an arm around his companion.

A smile found its way back to Terra's lips as she remembered what she was thinking. "Who do you think everyone's going to vote for to be prom king and queen?"

Beast Boy swallowed a gulp of punch and said matter-of-factly, "Robin and Starfire. Duh, Terra."

Terra shoved his shoulder playfully. "That's my point, Smarty." She turned to the rest of her friends and said eagerly, "But let's not be typical."

"How?" Bumblebee chimed in.

"Let's vote for Raven and Speedy," Terra finished her enticing speech with a sly smirk on her face. Soon everyone had the same smirk on their faces.

"That's actually a fantastic idea, Terra," Bumblebee voiced. "But how do we get everyone else to vote for them?"

Terra's smirk became even more crooked, "Just leave that up to me and BB. Just make sure you don't tell Robin or Star."

Beast Boy rubbed his palms together deviously. "Dude, the looks on all of four of their faces are going to be priceless!"

"Hey, where are they anyway?" Cyborg looked around the table and wondered why they were missing. "I haven't seen either of them all night."

"I just saw Kori practically drag Robin onto the dancefloor," Terra replied.

Beast Boy shuddered and said, "She's probably crushing his bones right now as we speak. I swear that girl was an alien or something in another life."

Jinx rolled her eyes and droned, "Speedy and Raven are probably somewhere at each other's throats."

Wally winked at Jinx and offered up another option, "Or maybe Raven finally gave into him."

Little did the couple know, they were both right. But not in the ways they were thinking. After their little moment in the courtyard, Speedy had dragged Raven back to the limo and asked the chauffeur to drive them to whatever part of the city had the best view of the bay. Yet, when he stopped the car and told them they had arrived, they never made it out. He instead respectively rolled up the partition as the two slowly began touching lips.

Before Raven knew what was happening, she was straddling the stunned boy with a knee on each side of him and his chin cupped in her delicate hands. He bit her soft, bottom lip ever so gently and mixed his breath with hers. Raven couldn't believe she was allowing all of this to happen. Let alone egging it on. But she was. She pressed her lips harder against his, and she felt them began to part for her. Their tongues intertwined as he slipped his arms around her waist and pulled their chests closer together.

They don't know how long they were in that position, but after what seemed like forever, Speedy slowly began to lower her down onto the long seat of the limo. He hovered over her as they continued sucking faces.

Raven unconsciously wrapped her legs around him. Then, out of nowhere she realized what she was doing. "Stop!" she shouted lowly so the driver wouldn't hear. "Get off."

Speedy continued to hover over her as he tried to catch his breath. She tried to sit up and mistakenly bumped her head against his. He plopped onto the seat next to her. "What did I do this time?" he asked nervously. Everything was going just fine, but he was sure he'd somehow found a way to mess it up.

Raven wrapped her arms around herself and pulled up her falling dress. "Nothing. Let's just get some fresh air."

Speedy eyed her suspiciously, but replied, "Good idea." He got out and held the door open for her. Once again, she didn't take his hand as he tried to help her out the tall vehicle. He heaved a sigh and shut the door behind her.

Together, but silently they sauntered over to the edge of the rocks surrounding the bay and stared at the still, yet powerful body of water ahead of them. They stood there soaking in the quiet for minutes. Both were wondering what the other was thinking each second they stood in silence.

Finally, to his surprise, Raven broke the silence, "I'm not ready, Roy."

His heart skipped a beat, "Ready for what?"

Raven turned to face him and he followed in her footsteps. "For sex. I know you're used to girls who just give it up to you. But…I'm just not ready."

Speedy glanced at the water with an unreadable look on his face. "Raven—"

"I know I slept with Wally, but that was a big mistake," she continued. "I always wanted my first time to be with the right person. Someone I was in love with, and someone who loves me the same."

He looked at her face and noticed how the beams from the moon highlighted the spark she had in her doe-eyes from their moment in the limo; he couldn't help but stare. "Gem, I—"

"I understand if you don't feel the same about me anymore." She turned and faced the bay again, but never looked up from the ground. "I—"

"Raven," Speedy stopped her from rambling with the tug of her hand. "I will wait for you."

Raven's eyes lit up even more, but deep down she couldn't help but wonder if he really meant that. "Honestly?"

"Yes, Raven, I think I've had enough fun for the both of us." He smirked handsomely. "Of course I can wait for the girl I—"

Raven waited for him to finish his sentence, but instead he just blushed red. "The girl you what?"

He swallowed hard and scratched the back of his neck anxiously. "Remember when I asked did you know what the rose symbolized?"

Raven folded her arms and sneered. "How could I forget? It's been bothering me ever since."

Speedy chuckled at her dryness and turned towards the water himself. "Well…how do I say this? It means…well it symbolizes. You know what? Fuck it," he shouted with sudden confidence and abruptly grabbed her by the shoulders. "Raven, I'm falling in love with you."

Back at the formal dance, Terra and Beast Boy had tried to convince as many people as possible to vote for Raven and Speedy without Robin or Starfire overhearing in under thirty minutes. Now, the votes were all tallied in and were getting ready to be announced. The group finally met up with Robin and Starfire as the students began to crowd around the stage.

"Hey, where are the other two lovebirds?" Kid Flash asked. They really had disappeared into the night, and he was beginning to think they weren't even there anymore. And Robin suddenly seemed sick at the mention of the two.

"Yeah, that's a good question," Bumblebee added as the announcer began to speak.

"How's it going everyone?" Kole and Herald, the committee chair and vice chair, greeted everyone from the stage. "It's time for the moment you've all been waiting for: the results for prom king and queen!"

Everyone cheered and waited for them to carry on. "Fingers crossed," Terra whispered to Bumblebee.

"First, let's start off with the prince and princess." Herald looked down at the card in his hand and announced, "For prom prince, the winner is…Roy Harper!" Terra and the others gasped. Their plan was officially ruined.

"And for prom princess," Kole started, "Kori Anders!"

"Congratulations, Star!" Everyone applauded as she eagerly ran on stage. She was excited to win anything. So, not being queen didn't bother her at all. She _eeped_ with joy as they placed her tiara on her head and adorned her with a purple sash.

"While we wait on Roy to show up, let's crown our king and queen," Herald continued.

Then, Beast Boy came to a realization. "Wait, if Roy is prom prince then who's—"

"Uh-oh," Terra prevented him from finishing.

"And your 2016 prom king is…," Kole stopped for a dramatic pause, "Richard Grayson!" The crowd roared with cheers and applauses. Robin stood still in place, oblivious to the fact that he'd just won. He was too busy worrying about how he hurt Raven to worry about anything else. And, now, even though he wasn't there to claim his crown, Speedy technically had won his other girl, too. Robin was beyond stressed.

"Rob, man, what you waiting on?" Cyborg hit him on the back. "Go get your royal scepter!"

Robin tuned out all the noise surrounding him as he climbed the stairs of the stage. He stared blankly into the crown as they gave him his royal wand and placed a large, red and gold crown on top of his hair.

"And for your 2016 royal queen," Herald started. "Raven Roth!"

Hearing her name knocked Robin back into reality. He was sure she wasn't going to come up and accept her crown, but the thought of facing her especially in front of everyone made him really fearful. He looked down at his friends' sympathetic smiles. None of them knew it was his fault the other two had vanished. And if they knew what he'd said, none of them would probably be smiling right now.

"Since the other two aren't here for whatever reason and you guys are dates anyway, how about you do the royal dance?" Kole spoke into the mic. Kori happily agreed and pulled Robin to the now open space in the middle of the dancefloor.

Terra couldn't help but feel annoyed. She loved Starfire and Robin just as much as her other friends, but she was just hoping the night wouldn't end so cliché. And somehow, even though Starfire wasn't queen, she still got to enjoy the royal dance with Robin. It was so typical.

On the other hand, Starfire was filled with exhilaration until she began to notice Robin didn't match her excitement. She put two and two together and whispered almost inaudibly to the boy in front of her, "Friend Robin?"

"Yes, Star?" He looked into her clear, innocent, green eyes and couldn't help but feel bad. She'd been so happy all night, and ever since his incident with Raven, he'd been the total opposite.

"Would you rather be sharing this dance with Friend Raven?" she cooed, nerves taking over her.

Robin exhaled and looked to the ground, but never lost his pace in the dance. "No, of course not, Kori." She smiled, relieved, and he returned the favor even though inside his mind he couldn't hear anything, but, _'Maybe I would.'_

 **A/N: Well that was over the top as usual and extremely long. Hopefully it wasn't too bad though. And since it's pretty much the end of the semester, I should be uploading soon.** **Thanks for reading :)**


	15. Over and Over

15\. Over and Over

" _ **Cause it's all in my head. I think about it over and over again, and I can't keep picturing you with him. And it hurts so bad. Cause it's all in my head. I think about it over and over again. I replay it over and over again, and I can't take it; I can't shake it." – Nelly**_

 **Disclaimer: I don't own the song or the Titans.**

 _ **Also, this is pretty long. Probably the longest chapter I've posted. I was going to break it up into two, but I figured I might as well leave it long since I keep taking forever to update. So, just warning you lol.**_

 _For some reason, Raven had agreed to meet Aqualad on the same large rocks surrounding the bay that she'd just been standing on with Speedy the night before. She was standing there in a long black cardigan, a black camisole, black leggings, and her favorite combat boots. Her annoyingly long hair was sticking to her face thanks to the wind, and she could barely keep her eyes open long enough to watch the water. She hardly remembered what happened the night before, but she figured it was because she was trying to block out as much as she could. Or maybe Beast Boy really did spike the punch, and she had been drunk without knowing. Whatever had occurred, she had a gut feeling she didn't want to remember._

" _Thanks for meeting me here, Raven," the long-haired boy's naturally seductive voice crept up from behind._

 _She looked up into his dark eyes as he stood next to her with a small smirk on his face and his arms crossed across his chiseled chest. "No problem," she murmured inaudibly, but he just kept staring at her with those dark eyes. "So…what did you want to talk about?"_

 _For a second, Raven thought she saw a spark in his eyes. "Well, I've been thinking…" He stuck his hands in his pockets and turned to look at the still water. Raven waited on him to continue, but he never did._

" _About what exactly?" she pushed, suddenly anxious for an answer._

 _The tall, mysterious boy blushed and looked down at the short, mysterious girl in front of him. "Maybe we're a better match for each other rather than you and Speedy and Starfire and me."_

 _Raven felt a blush creeping up on her own face. "…What?"_

 _Aqualad chuckled nervously at her shocked facial expression. "That day at the carnival got me thinking. Maybe Robin taking Starfire from me was actually destined, so that we could find our way to each other. Let's face it, Starfire's not really my type, and Speedy obviously has some demons he needs to get rid of before he commits to any relationship."_

" _Um," Raven started, but her shocked heart wouldn't let her finish. She had never really thought about Garth in a romantic way, but she had to admit that his shadowy persona and handsome face intimidated her in a good way._

" _We're more alike, and would complement each other perfectly. Tell me I'm wrong."_

 _Raven swallowed and shook her head. "You are…right, but aren't you and Speedy really good friends? Wouldn't he be angry if I chose you over him?"_

 _Aqualad pushed his hair to the back sheepishly, "Well, yeah, but…who cares? Let's just say I'm the better, safer, and more intellectual option. Why wouldn't you choose me?"_

 _Raven bit her lip and thought about all the good points he'd made. She could definitely see herself enjoying a relationship with Aqualad much better than with Speedy. Maybe he was—_

 _Buzzzzz, buzzzz_! _Buzzzzz, buzzzz!_ Speedy's vibrating phone startled him up into a cold sweat. He sat still in his boxy, queen-sized bed for a moment, panting, and trying to focus on reality. He had a pounding headache from the hangover left over from all the alcohol he'd drained after he made it home the night before.

He wiped beads of sweat off his forehead and thought, _'Did I just dream about Raven and Garth?'_ The dream had seemed so real and vivid he felt as if he'd been watching a forbidden, intimate moment between them. _'Where did that come from?'_

If there was anyone he should've been scared of losing Raven to, it was Robin, but he wasn't even afraid of him. Or at least he didn't want to admit he was.

 _Buzzzzz, buzzzz_! _Buzzzzz, buzzzz!_ His phone startled him once again. Somehow his body got tangled up in all the mess of clothes and blankets on the bed and he ended up face first on the hardwood floor. He stayed in that position and angrily reached for his phone off the bed and answered it without looking to see who was calling.

"Speeds!" He immediately winced. _Of course_ Wally was chipper this early in the morning.

"What do you want, Wallace?" Speedy groaned into the phone.

His grumpy tone didn't faze his best friend. "I hope you're packed and ready. We're heading out in about an hour."

Speedy cursed inside his head. He had forgotten all about their three-day, senior trip to Santa Monica. "I'll be ready," he grunted and hung up the phone. He could already tell this was going to be a long, bad day.

He shot up off the floor, mumbling something about who would be dumb enough to plan the trip for the morning after prom. He grabbed boxers, a simple t-shirt, and a black pair of joggers and dragged to the shower.

Once inside, he let the steaming hot water roll down his long, toned body. He placed his hands on the moist, white tiles in front of him and dropped his head down under the running water as images from that dream, or better yet, nightmare continued to flood his mind.

Suddenly, memories of what had actually occurred between him and Raven on those very rocks started coming back to him. He could almost taste the punch on her tongue as he remembered locking lips in the back of the limo and his hormones racing. Then, he remembered practically seeing the fear and embarrassment on her face as she admitted she wasn't ready for anything sexual. Out of nowhere, regret filled his body as he recalled the most hurtful moment of those memories. Instant replays of him telling Raven he was falling in love with her and her heartbreaking reaction kept replaying in his head.

For some reason, her reaction upset him. Yet, he knew he shouldn't have been surprised. The moment he came clean about how he felt, it was like she instantly bottled up and shut herself off from him. She demanded the chauffeur drop her off at home, and she even sat in the front with him as they rode silently.

Speedy thought about how he wasn't able to see any emotion in her face after his confession, and he could still feel the burning pain he felt in his chest as he sat alone and lonely in the back of the limo. Pieces of his heart felt like they were slowly crumbling and dropping off into his blood stream. He could feel the aching and hurt running all through his body. He'd experienced rejection many times, but being cut off by someone who meant more than he could imagine just murdered whatever hope and confidence he possessed. Why did Raven make him so vulnerable? What about her made him feel alive yet scared? What about her made him able to feel at all? He didn't know. But he was willing to do anything to figure it out.

"Where's Raven?" Speedy questioned when Wally and Jinx pulled up to his house with an empty backseat.

Wally popped the trunk for his friend and replied, "For some odd reason, she preferred riding with Cyborg, Bee, and Garth."

To his own surprise, Speedy's blood bubbled at the sound of the dark boy's name. He knew it would be painfully awkward if him and Raven had to sit there and avoid each other for five hours, but part of him was dreading being in the backseat alone once again.

Wally eyed his friend as he practically threw his suitcase in the trunk with a grimace on his face. "Uh…are you okay, Roy?"

"Just peachy," Speedy assured as he slammed the trunk close.

Wally wasn't buying his act though. "Is everything alright with you and Raven?"

"Perfecto," Speedy mumbled, annoyed. He reached to open his door, but Wally blocked the way.

"What did you guys do last night? My limo bill was higher than I expected," Wally snickered teasingly with his arms folded over his chest.

Speedy rolled his eyes and pushed him out the way. "What do most couples do on prom night?" And with that, he slammed the door.

Wally's mocking smirk fell as he opened his own car door, "Wait, you guys actually did it?"

Speedy never answered. He couldn't bring himself to lie about Raven, yet he also couldn't admit what really happened. He still couldn't grasp how wonderful their night started, but how horrible it ended.

"I hope you used protection for Raven's sake," Jinx laughed mischievously.

Wally was still in disbelief and hadn't even actually sat in the car. "Raven really let you go that far with her?"

Speedy continued to ignore them. "I'll take that as a no," Jinx continued her teasing. "Come on, Wally, the others are waiting for us at the gas station."

"Raven, I'm just asking for one min—"

"Go away, Richard," Raven deadpanned as Robin continuously begged to talk to her. He'd already said sorry a million times, but she wouldn't accept his apology.

Everyone else was inside the store loading up on snacks, using the restroom, or paying for gas. Raven decided to stay outside and stretch before being cramped up for five hours, yet she instantly regretted it when Robin decided to stand in the fresh air with her.

"Talk to me, Raven," Robin pleaded in front of her. He was desperate to apologize and had been overwhelmed with guilt all night and morning.

Raven exhaled and tried to walk away, but he just followed. "I have nothing to say to you."

Robin put a hand on her shoulder as she faced away from him. "You know I didn't mean it."

Raven shoved his hand away and whispered, "I know what I heard."

"Raven—" Suddenly, Robin was quiet. Raven turned around worriedly to see him holding an angry staring contest with Speedy.

"Obviously she doesn't want to talk to you, Bird Brain," Speedy growled. When did Wally's car even pull up? Were Raven and Robin really that deep into their own world?

Raven sighed, but with some sympathy said, "Thank you, but I think we both know I don't really want to talk to you either, Speedy." There was nothing but silence and blank faces, so she continued. "Listen, I think it'd be best if both of you just pretend I'm not here the whole trip. I'll do the same with you."

Raven had to admit their reactions were not expected. She expected Robin would be calm and okay with giving her the space she needed, and she somewhat expected Speedy to be bratty and stomp away angrily. Instead, she got pronounced frowns. There was no doubt that sadness and gloom had overcome both of them. Did she really mean that much to them?

Robin took a few baby steps back and said before turning away, "If that's what you want, Rae."

Speedy took a little longer to leave, going back and forth between staring at her and the ground. Eventually, he mustered up the attitude to say, "I can't believe you, Raven."

Raven sighed as she watched them walk into the store. She noticed they were both dressed alike in white t-shirts, black joggers, and red sneakers and wondered if they were more alike than she realized. This was going to be a long trip.

Unsurprisingly, the long trip to the beach town was smooth sailing for some and nothing but turmoil for the others. Robin and Terra had spent the whole five hours cringing at Starfire and Beast Boy's horrible karaoke voices as they attempted to sing almost every song that played, even the ones they didn't know. Cyborg, Bumblebee, Raven, and Aqualad had spent half the time having deep, intellectual conversations about life and humanity and the other half testing each other's knowledge with riddles and trivia questions.

The true turmoil was present solely in KF's sports car. The driver and his girlfriend were more than annoyed that every other hour they had to pull over to let Speedy puke out the leftover alcohol in his system on the side of the highway. They had eventually lost the others and had to find the new city on their own; they couldn't even fathom the amount of wrong turns they'd taken. When Speedy wasn't throwing up, he was annoying them with his loud snoring that overpowered the radio no matter how loud it got; the high volume couldn't even wake him up. Wally's high-spirited mood from earlier that morning had transformed into an exasperated one. He was about ready to bite Speedy's head off, and Jinx had already tried to, but Speedy had successfully managed to block her licks. That didn't stop her from barking or complaining though.

In the end, it had taken them seven hours to finally arrive at the beach house Cyborg had rented for the group. The bright-haired couple quickly separated themselves from their misery and berated the others for leaving them alone with him. But what they didn't know was that he was the one truly suffering. His heart broke every minute of the trip knowing that Raven was sitting so close to Garth for such a long period of time. Speedy knew that it was just dream, and Raven and Aqualad only interacted when it was relevant. However, he couldn't help but wonder if the long-haired boy flirted or showed her special attention. Did they mistakenly bump into each other? If they did, did sparks electrocute their hearts when their skin touched? Did Raven blush or grimace when he glanced at her? He knew for sure they were having much more intense and brainy conversations than him and her had even began to have. Clips from his nightmare about the two wouldn't leave his conscious alone.

And Robin. What if she had given in to his pleas and apologies whenever they took a rest break? What if somehow Robin had come to his senses and asked Starfire to trade cars with Raven? What if the only person on the trip she wasn't talking to was Speedy himself? What if her and Robin were laughing and playing at the beach house in their swimsuits while him, Jinx, and KF were lost to the world?

With thoughts like this running through his mind at the speed of light, Speedy couldn't and didn't want to do anything, but sleep. Sleep seemed like the only way to hide from the pain. But he was wrong. Nightmares of Raven treating him as if he were invisible and loving Robin or Aqualad continued in his mind each time he fell asleep. Yet, somehow sleep still felt better than being fully conscious and suffering the pain. Jinx and Wally weren't the only ones bothered when he would wake up. What they didn't realize was that the snoring was accompanied by a lot of tossing and turning on the small backseat; he'd almost fallen on the carpeted floor more times than he could count. Forcing himself to fall asleep was the hardest part; it required him ignoring his racing thoughts and trying to think of his happy moments with Raven. Every time his nausea forced him up, he had to repeat it all over again.

"Bout time you made it in!" Cyborg slapped Speedy on his back eagerly as he dragged his suitcase into the compact yet somehow spacious, two-story vacation home. "We were starting to think you had fallen asleep in the car."

Speedy rubbed his now sore back and took in the décor of their living space. The furniture and colorful paint on the wall emulated Starfire's bubbly personality and Cyborg's love for technology. It was clearly a newly built building with its sleek, modernized furniture, LED television, and sparkling kitchen appliances. Worst of all, it reeked of salt water, which for some reason reminded him of Garth, and piña coladas.

"Gosh, Speedy, you look horrible," Terra announced as she pranced down the stairs with Raven, Starfire, and Bumblebee behind her. Speedy glared at her, but said nothing. With Raven in the room, his voice was caught in his throat. However, Terra was right. Speedy looked like he hadn't slept in days, and his hair was ruffled all over his head. Not to mention he hadn't smiled since the night before.

"New Friend Jinx!" Starfire squealed when she spotted Jinx standing across from Roy and Vic. She ran over and put her arm inside the taken aback girl's arm. "Come! You must see the beauty of our room of beds! It has the best view in the house!"

"Sure," Jinx mumbled with a smile, glad they were all welcoming her easier than she expected. She followed the grinning girl up the stairs, and the rest of the girls followed behind. Raven hadn't even stolen a glance at Speedy; he would know since he never took his eyes off her.

"So, who are we bunking with?" Kid Flash asked as he walked out of the kitchen eating what looked like five peanut butter sandwiches stacked on top of each other. He was _always_ eating yet never gained any weight. Robin, BB, and Garth weren't too far behind even though they'd brought cans of soda with them instead.

"Well…" Cyborg chuckled sheepishly and looked at the boys who'd yet to receive their sleeping arrangements nervously.

"Well what?" Speedy's voice finally cracked as he eyed the buffer man.

"Well—"

Beast Boy jumped in and admitted, "Cy conveniently got us a house with only three rooms. Two of the rooms have double beds and the other has one which is coincidentally the room he assigned to himself and Bee."

"Wow, Gar, two big words in one sentence," Aqualad uttered sarcastically and plopped on the long, red, sectional couch. Even though he wasn't insulting him, Speedy couldn't help but watch him angrily as he enjoyed the grape soda in his hands. Speedy wanted to force the can down his throat and make him choke on his own spit, but that would just be irrational.

"So, that means we get to share a room and bed with our respective lovers?" Wally suddenly perked up.

"No," Beast Boy said matter-of-factly, "that means you get to share a room with me and Robin. Aqualad already claimed the couch."

Speedy immediately retorted, "There's no way I'm sharing a room with _him_." He weightily pointed at Robin as he said _him_. Robin had his arms crossed over his chest, obviously just as upset about the arrangements.

"It's only for three days and two nights, Roy." Cyborg put a hand on his shoulder and pleaded, "Please don't let this ruin the trip."

"Fine," Speedy mumbled as he marched towards the stairs and struggled to carry his suitcase up each step.

"Didn't he used to be…a lot stronger?" Beast Boy looked at KF worriedly when Roy was out of hearing range. KF looked to the ground with a sad frown and hunched his shoulders. He knew it was his best friend's drug habit and bad decisions that were taking a toll on his strength and overall mental and physical health.

 _Knock, knock._ Wally let out a sigh of relief as he ran to open the door. Their visitors were Kole, Hot Spot, Jericho, and a few others from their school. They were all standing in their swimsuits with fresh tans and beach balls and towels in their hands. They had taken a plane earlier that morning and had been waiting on the rest of their classmates to arrive to enjoy their surroundings.

"So, you guys hitting the waves or what?" Hot Spot smirked and leaned on the frame of the bright red door, but his smirked slowly faded as he saw the tired and uncomfortable looks on the faces of the ones in the house. "Looks like you guys could really use it."

Robin gave them a reassuring smile and said, "We'll be out there in a minute. Go on without us."

Moments later, everyone, except Speedy and Raven, were behind their temporary home enjoying some aspect of the beach. Most of them were enjoying the cool touch of the water and attempting to ride the waves with surfboards. Aqualad was playing lifeguard and simultaneously teaching a few people different swimming techniques. Bumblebee was enjoying burying her boyfriend in the sand a little too much while Beast Boy and Terra were determined to build the biggest, fanciest, sand castle they'd ever seen. Starfire had abandoned Robin in the shade under their umbrella long ago to join Aqualad in the water. Robin watched bitterly as the other boy helped his crush onto one of the surfboards. He was touching her way too much in Robin's opinion, but she looked too elated for him to say anything.

Meanwhile, Raven and Speedy were both enjoying the peace in their respective rooms. Raven finally was able to stretch and read in peace with a nice view of her friends outside smiling and having fun. She figured they could have enough fun for her, too. Speedy, on the other hand, was only enjoying the peace because his major after-effect headache was still causing him great strife. The loneliness, however, was almost unbearable.

Speedy sighed as he stared at the small vial of readily made heroin in his palm. He'd had an angel and devil argument about whether he should bring it when he was packing that morning. Needless to say, in the end, his bad conscious won, and he hid it in one of the many compartments in his suitcase. In his other hand was a fresh syringe eager for blood. He stuck the needle in the vial and filled it up with the deadly addictive drug.

Next, he reached for the belt he'd stolen out of Robin's things and tied it around his left arm. He pumped his arm a couple times to get his blood moving so that it'd be easier to find a vein. Then, he gripped the needle tightly and let out a deep breath. He thoughtlessly rubbed his thumb over the fresh yet fading needle marks from the past few days. There were three from finding out he would soon be a father, one from when he realized he never heard back from the Steel Uni. track coach, and one when he was being taken over by these new emotions he felt for Raven. Now, soon there would be a new one from being rejected for feeling those very emotions. He was thankful that his prom tux hid the deadly marks from his date, but he hadn't taken the measures to hide them that morning. Didn't matter since no one seemed to notice anyway.

Finally, he slowly inched the point to the most visible vein in his forearm. But for some reason, every time he'd get as close as possible without sticking himself, he'd draw his arm back and have to start all over again.

"Argh!" he growled and let the belt fall to the ground. He forced his face in his palms and tried to calm down, but it was taking a lot of deep breaths to get his mind right. All he wanted was to be pain and stress free, but he couldn't bring himself to do the one thing that would help him be just that. Not with Raven on the other side of the wall.

He knew she was in there, because he could practically feel her presence. Not to mention every few minutes he heard soft footsteps around the room, and he knew everyone else was outside, and if anyone had stayed in, it would be Raven.

He snapped his head towards the wall when he heard her soft chuckle. She was laughing, and she rarely laughed. Did that mean she wasn't even fazed by what happened the night before? In other words, was he the only one suffering? And worst of all, what or who was she laughing at? He _had_ to talk to her.

 _Boom, boom, boom!_ Raven jumped at the sudden beating on the door, dropping her book in the process. She groaned, annoyed. The book was just getting good. Why would someone dare ruin the moment?

She stood up and stomped over to the door. Slinging it open she bellowed, "WHAT could you possibly—" She instantly stopped when she realized the site in front of her. "Speedy?"

"Where is he?" Speedy asked in a low but lethal tone as he pushed the door open and invited himself in the room. He looked around frantically, but the only people there were him and the girl. "Where is he?"

Raven eyed him worriedly, but quietly. His red hair and clothes were disheveled. He was sweating uncontrollably and breathing frantically. His eyes were bloodshot red like he hadn't slept in days, and his skin blended in with his hair.

"Who are you talking about, Roy?" she whispered cautiously and slowly stepped closer to him until she was standing right in front of the highly upset boy.

He put his hands on top of his head and continued walking around the room looking for a suspect. "Garth! Robin! I heard you giggling."

Raven chuckled in irritated shock as he stood back in front of her. "Roy, I was reading a book, and I laughed at something a character said."

Speedy immediately relaxed and realized how much he looked like a lunatic. He put his face in his hands for the second time in under ten minutes and let out a guilty sigh. Then, he removed his hands and looked at the beautiful, doe-eyed, and noticeably concerned girl in front of him.

Out of nowhere, he grabbed her by shoulders and forced his lips onto hers. He tried his best to give her all of him. He placed one hand in her long, flowy hair and pulled her as close to his body as possible with the other, wanting her to feel the pain, happiness, and passion he felt whenever he was next to her. But apparently he failed, because almost a minute into the kiss she pushed him off her as hard as she could.

"What is your problem, Roy?!" Raven screamed and wiped her mouth in disgust. "What is happening to you?" She felt her eyes watering up, but she refused to allow herself to cry.

Speedy couldn't help but step back and stare in shock. He felt anger, but yet even more sadness rising up in his body. "Why are you treating me like this, Raven? You can honestly say nothing I told you yesterday meant anything to you?" He stopped as he realized he was yelling at the petite girl in front of him, but it was instinctive. At this point, he couldn't help it.

Raven sighed and looked out the window at her friends laughing, playing, and sincerely enjoying themselves, then back at Speedy. "Roy—"

"Do you realize how much I'm hurting right now?" he continued and stepped closer. She unconsciously stepped back, making him even more upset. "I told you how I felt, and ever since you've been ignoring me! Treating me like I'm not worth your time! You don't expect me to be angry?"

Raven glared at the boy in front of her and screamed back, "Of course I expect you to be angry, Roy! But I also expected you to get the message!"

Speedy's heart skipped a beat, and his breathing slowed down. He was afraid of what was going to come out her mouth next. "What message, Raven?" He tried to look at her, but he couldn't do anything but turn away. All of a sudden, he didn't want her to see the pain on his face; he suddenly felt foolish and embarrassed that he was the only one who cared.

Raven shook her head and stared at the ground. She hated this feeling, but she had to be honest. After all he'd been through over the past few weeks, he deserved honesty. "I don't feel the same about you."

Speedy shocked himself when he instantly shot back, "That's a lie!"

Raven looked at him like he was losing his mind. "Speedy, you can't fall in love in two weeks! It just doesn't happen like that." Speedy looked at her in disbelief as he contemplated what she'd just said. "Plus, I'm still in love with Robin."

Speedy softened up and placed a hand on the antsy girl's shoulder. "I know love doesn't happen that fast, Raven. But I know what I'm feeling, and that's why I said I'm falling for you." She continued to stare at the ground and shake her head. "There's no other way to describe what I feel for you. The desire I feel for you—I feel the same radiating from your body right now."

Raven finally looked up at him, making him drop his hand. "That's just it! Desire," she squawked lowly. He eyed her confusedly as she continued, "How do I know it isn't just strong lust you're feeling? How do I know you don't tell this to all girls just to get into their pants? How can I trust that you're being honest with me?"

Speedy sighed. He should've known his past would come back to haunt him. "Raven, look at me." She glanced up at the discombobulated boy—he really did look stressed and over the edge, but only for a millisecond. "Do you really think I'd put myself through this over some groupie? Just for sex? No. I feel something different for you than I've ever felt for anyone else."

Raven walked towards the window and saw the others running around throwing buckets of water and sand on each other. They were using this trip for the right reasons: to have fun and relax. She continued to watch their smiles with her arms folded as she uttered, "Just move on, Speedy."

Saying those words almost broke her heart. Deep down, she knew she wasn't truly being honest. Of course she had feelings for Speedy. _Strong_ feelings. She just didn't know what they were, and she didn't want to find out either. What good would being in love with a drug addict with a child on the way and a loose reputation do for her? Robin was the right one for her. No matter how much she cared and felt for Speedy.

"What?" he managed to choke out. She could almost hear the tears getting ready to fall out his eyes.

She whipped around, violet hair flying in the air so effortlessly, and pointed out the window at their friends. "Move on, Speedy! Go out there. Enjoy your life and have fun. Stop moping around over me." His eyes went big. Of course she'd noticed the depression he had developed practically overnight. "It's not worth it, Roy. I'm not worth it," she whispered the last part.

Yet, Speedy heard it anyway, and he immediately wanted to run, hug her as tight as he could, and tell her she was worth his life. But he knew it would be best if he kept his distance. At least for the time being. "Raven—"

"Go," she deadpanned and turned back towards the clear glass with her arms folded. "Now."

"Fine," he grunted. Raven didn't even have to be looking to see the disappointment on his face; she could almost hear it in his voice. She winced as he slammed the door, making the piece of art on the wall fall to the ground and shatter into thousands of pieces of glass.

"Ahh!" she screamed silently to herself as tears burned her eyes. What did she just do? She swallowed the large ball of spit in the back of her throat, and tried to stop the tears from falling. However, she didn't succeed as she wondered if she'd just made the worst mistake of her life.

 **A/N: If you've made it this far, thanks for reading! Rymilu you've been a loyal reviewer and I'm so grateful for that lol. I hope it's still up to par. Sorry if they're grammar effects; I got tired of proofreading. Ironically, I'm taking a two week class about drugs and behavior, and my professor's favorite drug to talk about seems to be heroin. Anyway, I'll be done with school for good next Monday, so I'll finally truly have time to finish. :)**


	16. If Only You Knew

**16\. If Only You Knew**

 **Warning…again: This is another extremely long chapter, but this time I didn't realize I was making it so long. I tried to split it, but I couldn't find the right place to cut it in half. So, I figured what's the point? I take forever to update anyway lol. Hopefully, you enjoy it :)**

 **Also, sorry, if there's a lot of mistakes. I only got to proofread once. I'm leaving for Atlanta in the morning, and I really wanted to upload this before I went to sleep.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own the characters or songs.**

Robin flinched as a door slammed, and he heard glass shatter. He was standing on the staircase contemplating on whether he should go upstairs and take up for Raven or run back outside before they realized he was listening. Unfortunately for them, Raven failed to notice that Robin wasn't amongst the ones outside having fun. He had been fed up with watching Starfire and Aqualad flirt right in front of him like he wasn't there and had come in to cool off when he heard Speedy screaming at Raven about treating him badly. He'd been eavesdropping ever since.

Suddenly, he heard stomping on the steps. He froze in place in panic. He didn't know if he was more scared of it being Raven or Speedy; both were bound to blow up on him.

"Move it, Birdie," Speedy mumbled forcefully and intentionally pushed Robin's shoulder with his own as he passed him on the staircase.

That was it? Robin expected him to be way more upset. He gulped and ran down the stairs after his rival. "Everything okay, Speedy?" he questioned carefully as he stepped into the kitchen.

Speedy stared at the ground and leaned back onto the counter with his arms folded. "You win, Grayson. You win as usual."

Robin eyed him funnily. "Win…what?" he asked slowly. For once, he didn't think they were actually competing for anything. In fact, he didn't even understand why they'd been so angry with each other lately.

Speedy chuckled angrily and shook his head. "And that's exactly why you don't deserve her." And with that, he stormed out the backdoor and onto the beach with their friends.

Robin stared at the ground in silence. Who was _her_? Raven? What in the world was he talking about? Robin came to his senses and ran back upstairs to check on his best friend. However, when he stepped into the girls' room, he saw nothing but beds, clothes strewn everywhere, and broken glass on the floor. He checked the bathroom, but it was just as empty. He knew he never saw her come downstairs, so she had to be in their room. But why?

He jotted out the bathroom and back down the hall into the boys' room. He stopped in the doorway and watched as she stood in between the beds with her back towards him and her head facing the ground. She was scarily still and quiet. He began to wonder what really happened between the two.

"Raven," he started, but she didn't budge, "you okay? Did he put his hands on you?" He ran over to where she was standing and noticed the redness of her eyes and the shallowness of her breath.

"Talk to me, Raven," Robin said softly and closed the space between them.

Raven looked up at her best friend and let out a breath. She opened her hand and revealed a drug-filled syringe. Robin gasped with disbelief.

"Drugs?" Robin tried his best not to scream. "Rae, I can help you through whatever you're going through. This is not like you at—"

"They're Roy's," she cut him off.

Robin stared at her with his mouth agape. "O-oh…I see." He furrowed his eyebrows and asked, "Is that what you guys were arguing about?"

Raven's face immediately went from upset to nervous. "Wait, you heard us?" Did he hear her say she was still in love with him?

Robin shook his head up and down cautiously. "Well, at least most of it. Whenever you all were screaming loud enough. So, mostly only Speedy."

Raven had never been so glad for her quiet, calm demeanor. She exhaled and stated, "No. We were arguing about…something else. I came back in here to talk to him, but he was gone. Yet, he left his best friend on the bed, and I couldn't help but notice."

Robin was speechless. If Speedy was on drugs that meant he probably had some deeper issues that the rest of the world was oblivious to. Robin thought about what he could possibly be stressing about. He knew Speedy wasn't as wealthy as the rest of his friends and often depended on the Wests for help. Maybe that was hurting his self-esteem. Then, he remembered hearing a few days ago about him having a baby on the way. Having a baby at eighteen wasn't the most exciting thing to a young man, especially one with financial instability. However, Speedy had brought that upon himself. He couldn't sleep around so helplessly and expect not to suffer the consequences.

Robin couldn't say he felt sorry for the boy, especially since he believed turning to drugs was something weak people did. "Don't tell anyone, Robin, or I swear I'll kill you myself," Raven's voice startled him. He looked up into her face and saw she was beyond serious. He looked back at the ground and decided to change the subject.

"So…are you still upset with me?" Robin asked cautiously.

Raven's eyes grew big. "Really, Robin? I just told you a friend is sick on drugs and all you can think about is whether or not I'm still angry with you?" Robin just stood there staring sheepishly, still waiting for an answer. Raven sighed and continued, "My so-called best friend called me unattractive. Obviously I'm not going to get over that very quickly."

"I didn't call you unattractive, Raven!" He immediately threw his hands up in defense, but then scratched his neck nervously as he mumbled a half lie, "I just said Kori was beautiful."

"Pft," Raven chuckled dryly. She folded her arms and looked out the window of the boys' room as she had done in the girls' room. However, their window wasn't facing the beach but only the next house. "That's not much better. Do you know how much I long to be tall and perfect like Kori? Do—"

"Raven!" Robin shouted harshly, cutting her off. She glared, but waited on him to finish. He swallowed and uttered, "I don't think you're beautiful."

Raven's jaw dropped and her blood boiled. "That's it!" she screamed, red in the face, and turned to stomp out the door. "I'm done with you, Rich."

"I think you're beyond it," he said a little more loudly and clearly before she could step over the threshold. Then, something within him forced him to say, "There's a million Kori's walking around but you—you're unique. Big, clear, doe eyes. Flawless, porcelain skin that contrasts perfectly with your equally interesting violet hair. Not many people can say they have eyes the color of a gem, Raven. A purple one at that. You're different, and different is better."

Raven stopped in her tracks and blushed towards the ground, her back facing him. That was smooth, but how did she know he wasn't just buttering her up? She turned to look at him with a grimace so he wouldn't think he had gotten over that easily, but she couldn't manage to say anything.

So Robin broke the silence with a shaky, still nervous voice, "I was thinking since graduation is Tuesday, and we won't be able to hang out like normal, we should do something together here. Just the two of us."

Raven let out a seemingly annoyed but truly excited breath and gave in, "Okay. Fine."

Robin perked up but cautiously questioned her answer, "Really?" He didn't want her to change her mind, but he also didn't want to give his hopes up.

Raven smirked at his anxiousness and replied dryly with an eye roll, "Yes, really, Robin."

He smirked back and suggested with a raised eyebrow, "Meet me by the staircase at midnight?" Raven gave him a quick, assuring smile and turned towards the door only to see Bumblebee and Cyborg also standing there with smirks on their faces.

"What are you two lovebirds doing up here all alone?" Cyborg teased and put an arm around his girlfriend.

"Nothing…" "We're not lovebirds!" Raven and Robin said simultaneously. Well, Robin actually screamed instead causing everyone to eye him funnily.

"Calm down, Birdie," Bumblebee chuckled. "He was just kidding." And with that, her and her dripping wet partner headed back downstairs to their own room.

Robin sighed and looked at his friend. "So…midnight?"

Raven rolled her eyes for the second time and walked out the room. Of course she would be at the staircase at twelve on the dot. Yes, he hurt her to the core the night before, but he was her best friend and someone she loved dearly. She'd have to forgive him eventually. But she had to make him worry first.

Raven let out a nervous sigh as she looked at herself in the mirror. She actually wanted to look half decent for her outing with Robin. So, a few hours before, she'd washed, blow dried, and bumped her hair with one of Starfire's curling irons to give it some much needed volume. Then, she brushed black mascara on her eyelashes and swiped her full lips with clear lip gloss. She literally had to force herself into the spaghetti strapped, knee length, black sundress Starfire had given her as a birthday gift a while ago. She felt bad about never wearing it, so she had reluctantly packed it when she'd been preparing for the trip. She would've never imagined she'd be wearing it to hang out with Robin.

She slipped out the bathroom, stopping first to peak and make sure no one was outside, and back into the girls' room. She tiptoed quietly to prevent waking up her deeply exhausted roommates and slipped into her basic, black pair of pointed toe flats. She glanced at her shiny, silver watch and let out another sigh at the time. It was _11:59_.

A million thoughts began running her through her mind. What if he stood her up? What if he saw her and turned his face up in disgust? What if she did something to make him regret even wanting to spend this time with her? If he was a minute late, would she panic?

She looked back at her watch. It read _12:01_. "Damn!" she whispered loudly. She quickly realized what she'd done as Jinx stirred in their bed. She hurriedly but silently scurried out the room. Now, she was the one late.  
Her heart was in her throat as she walked down the small corridor to the front of the slightly long staircase. It was empty. There was not a sound being made or a presence she could feel. She tried to calm herself as she realized that he could very well be at the end of the staircase.  
She swallowed her heart as she stepped onto the first step. She slowly walked down each one foot by foot but there was nothing in her sights save for the oddly placed air hockey table in the living room.  
"Thought you'd never come," a deep yet soft voice said the moment she stepped off the last step. She whipped her head to see Robin leaning back on the wall beside the staircase in a short-sleeved, white button up and a preppy pair of green shorts that almost seemed like swim trunks.

Raven smirked to cover up the Kool-Aid smile that was trying so hard to grace her face. "Had to keep you wondering, Boy Blunder."

Robin let out a low chuckle and turned to face her. "Close your eyes," he ordered suddenly.

Raven's smirk quickly turned into a scowl. "What? Why?" That was an odd thing to say out of the blue.

Robin laughed at her fear and said, "It's a surprise. Just trust me, Rae."

Raven contemplated what the surprise could be and decided, "No. I don't like surprises."

"Figured you might say that," he shot back as he wrestled for something in his pockets. Suddenly, he pulled out a navy blue blindfold. "That's why I brought this." He smiled and spun her around so her back was facing him and wrapped the blue fabric around her eyes.

"Robin!" she tried to scream as loudly as possible with her teeth grinding against each other in anger. "Stop it!"

"Shh," he teased as he tied the fabric into a third knot behind her head, "you don't wanna wake Garth or the others."

"I'm planning on ways to kill you without them knowing as we speak," Raven said in her usual monotone. She tried to open her eyes, but it was no use. She couldn't see anything but dark blue.

Suddenly, she felt another palm on hers and rough but somehow tender fingers intertwined with her own. Then, the hand gave hers a gentle tug. "Hold on," Robin's voice rang in her ears as he abruptly pulled her to who knows where.

To say she was relieved when they finally stopped was an understatement. He'd practically ran the whole way. She had to grip his hand extra tight to make sure she didn't lose him.

"By the way, you look really nice. Different from what I expect from you," she heard him say. She prayed that he wasn't looking at her as she blushed a bright red. She felt him fooling with the fabric and suddenly she'd gained her sight back. "Surprise."

Her eyes were feasted on the crashing, rich blue and white waves of the ocean behind their temporary home. Her feet were covered in warm, grainy sand, and there was not a peep to be heard in the starry, midnight sky. There was just peace and serenity.

Her skin began to crave the feeling of cool, sea water on her toes. She started towards the shore and almost tripped over the large, blue beach towel she didn't know was in front of her.

"Whoa, be careful, Raven." Robin was immediately by her side to help keep her feet balanced on the ground.

Raven gave him a small, assuring smile and moved his hands off her. Then, she finally noticed why there was a beach towel in the middle of the sand. In front of her was some sort of fancy picnic. There were two intricately designed plates with one slice of pepperoni pizza sitting perfectly on each; they were protected by saran wrap to make sure nothing contaminated them before they could eat. Beside one plate there was a bottle of that expensive water no one but Robin drank and a travel mug of what looked like tea. In the middle of it all sat a clear blue vase holding one single, lavender rose.

For some reason, the sight made her feel bad. Here she was finally on what seemed like a romantic date with Robin, and all she could think about was Speedy. He had done the picnic thing for her first, and even though she absolutely hated to admit it, she loved every bit of it.

"Wow, Rich…I don't know what to say," she finally managed to mutter. She looked up at him with big eyes to see a confident smile on his face.

"All your favorites," he boasted and crossed his arms. "While you thought I was out with the others sightseeing, I was actually running around like Gar with his head cut off looking for the best pizza in town, ingredients for herbal tea, and a decent flower shop."

"Rob—"

"Oh!" he interrupted with a screech. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his smartphone. "I almost forgot."

Raven watched him fiddle with the screen and before she knew it, notes of a familiar song began to fill the air. " _Ooo you make me live_ …" It was a song they'd dance and sung to many of times as children and young teens: _You're My Best Friend_ by Queen.

Raven couldn't help but flutter her eyelashes and grin at the sand. "Our song."

Robin smirked and yanked her hand, spinning her around in the process. "Let's make one more memory with it." Raven's eyes grew big as he spun her back around the opposite way and dipped her close to the ground. "Dance with me."

Raven grabbed onto his neck in order to make it easier for her to stand up. She separated herself from him and shook her head _no_. "I don't really dance. I'm not that young girl anymore."

For the first time that night, Robin looked defeated. She was right. She wasn't that snaggletooth, young girl with pigtails anymore. She was no longer that shy but feisty thirteen-year-old tomboy with short hair who was afraid to be herself around anyone but Wally, her mother, and himself. Nowadays, she almost seemed to be afraid of being herself even around him. He was beginning to realize that he'd been missing out on the person she was becoming. With basketball, being student body president and the likes, being the son of a socialite, and running after Starfire, he'd missed a lot of possible moments and memories with his best friend. She was growing into a beautiful young woman, and it had taken forever for him to notice.

"Please," he whispered desperately. He suddenly felt as if he had to make this night more amazing than he planned.

Raven sighed, rolling her eyes, and gave in, "Okay, but I can't dance."

Robin gave her a small smile. "Neither can I. We can just slow dance." He held his hand out, and she reluctantly took it.

Raven was beyond nervous being so close to the ebony-haired boy. The song playing now was _Stay with Me_ by Sam Smith. Her heart was thumping hard against her chest and her hand was trembling on his back. This night was so confusing. Was it a date or was he just trying to make her feel better about breaking her heart at prom? Was he beginning to realize his feelings for her or was he wishing that she was Kori in his arms right now?

Two weeks ago, this would've been the best night of her life, but now she couldn't do anything but worry and wonder. Wonder if this was a date. Wonder if he loved her the way she loved him. Wonder if she even still loved him. Wonder if he was slowly being replaced by Speedy. Wonder if they would drive her crazy with all the unanswered questions.

 _Grrrrr—_ Raven stopped in her tracks at the random noise. Was that what she thought it was? She looked up at Robin as he pulled away.

"Hungry, Rae?" he pestered with a sneer.

It was her stomach. She blushed, embarrassed, then quickly sent him a death glare. "Careful, Boy Blunder. Let's just eat."

After eating and downing their beverages, the two birds were enjoying the crashing of the waves against their legs. They'd walked into the water without making a sound, and now they were just standing there taking in the smell and the reflection of the moon and stars in the clear liquid.

Raven looked over at Robin and watched as he kicked the water with his toes. He seemed to be in deep thought about something. Just looking at him she knew that of course she still loved him. He was the love of her life. The one she shared the deepest and most important bond with, and the one who knew her better than anyone. None of that was going to change for a guy she'd avoided talking to for so many years.

Much to her surprise, she decided to break the silence. "How'd you learn to make herbal tea so well? It actually tasted better than the one at the café."

Robin's face grew cocky. "Let's just say I'm a genius in the kitchen," he said in a deep, suave voice.

Raven's small smile fell at his smugness. "It's tea not filet mignon."

Out of nowhere, his aura turned serious. He turned to face her and stepped a little closer, placing a firm hand on her frail shoulder. "Raven, can you still be yourself around me?"

Raven almost choked on her saliva. Where did that come from? "Of course, Rich. What made you ask?"

Robin let his arm fall back to his side and glanced at the water. "It's just…You seem more closed off and timid around me. You don't tell me everything or how you're feeling anymore."

Raven let out a shaky sigh and stared at the same tadpole he was focusing on. "Robin, nothing's changed between us. We're just getting older. Did you think things would stay the same forever?"

"Even now…it's like you're trying to be someone else around me," he argued and pointed at how she was dressed. "You almost look like Kori tonight."

The girl in front of him just continued to stare into oblivion, but he couldn't take his eyes off her. The moonlight was highlighting her exotic features as it had done that night in her room, and it was doing something to his heart.

"Raven, you don't have to try to look like Kori to make me notice you. Just please keep being yourself. Don't shut yourself off from what we have."

Raven gulped. He should be telling himself that, not her. She'd never forget what they had or let anyone take his place. She was more worried he'd do that to her.

"There's just…some things I can't tell you," she finally uttered. She glanced up and was taken back by the hurt on his face. "At least not until you feel the same."

Robin took her by the shoulders with both hands. "Raven, you can tell me anything. You know I'll always be here no matter what." Then, he took her left hand and held it up with a smile. "That's what friends do."

Raven blushed and pulled her hand away. "Robin, I—"

"Robin!" An ear-piercing, girly scream shredded their moment. Raven turned back towards the shore and almost exploded at the sight of a hysterical Starfire in her satin, purple nightgown.

"Star…?" Robin wondered out loud.

Abruptly, water began splashing everywhere as Starfire tried to run through it. Needless to say, she ended up stomping most of the way.

When she reached them, she grabbed Robin and pulled him into a suffocating embrace. "Oh, Robin. I was having the most horrible vision of the night, and when I went to your room for comfort, I didn't see you and…and…" The tall girl was bawling real tears. Raven couldn't help but let out a breath of frustration. And she thought _Speedy_ was dramatic.

Robin rubbed her back and used his shirt to dry her face. Raven grunted in disgust. "It's okay, Star. I'm right here," the boy said sympathetically.

"I'm so glad you're okay, Friend Robin," Kori mumbled as her tears and panic eased up. Then, she looked at both of them and genuinely said, "Sorry to ruin you and Friend Raven's night."

Robin gave her another hug and smiled. "It's okay, Kori. Come on, let's get you back inside and into some dry clothes."

"Robin, can you hold my hand until I fall asleep?" she asked innocently with large, emerald eyes, her long, red hair flowing perfectly in the wind.

Robin's grin grew even bigger. "Of course, Star." Raven watched as Kori laid her head on Robin's shoulder as they prepared to leave her out there all alone. "Good night, Rae. See you in the morning."

Raven continued to stand in her place. She was finally beginning to feel like the fool she was. Of course, he didn't have feelings for her. He assured her that she didn't have to be like Kori, but did she have a choice when that was the only kind of girl he fell for? What else could she do to get him to see her in that light?

Before she knew it, tears were brimming on the edge of her eyelids, but she wouldn't allow herself to cry. How dumb could she be? He'd realized before her that she was subconsciously turning herself into his redhead crush.

"Sleep tight, Rich," she whispered when they were finally out of sight.

She turned back towards the deeper water and began to wander further and further into the ocean. At first, she didn't even realize what she was doing. She just wanted to get as far away as possible. There was no way she was going back to her room to witness Robin holding Starfire's hand. She didn't even want to glance at the dirty plates and empty beverages sitting on the towel. They only made her think about how she had hoped it was all part of a date. She knew holding that lavender rose would only bring her more pain as she thought about the dozens he'd probably bought the redhead.

Finally, she stopped as she felt her hair and face get soaked with salty water. She opened her eyes which she didn't even realize she'd closed and took in her surroundings. Their beach house seemed to be a mile away, and she was suddenly filled with fear. She had to get back to shore.

She began walking as friskily as possible. After being in the water all night, she hadn't realized how much it slowed you down. Then, the wind picked up more quickly and the waves started coming more harshly. She found herself fighting to stand up.

Out of nowhere, a large wave came crashing down on her. She struggled to get back up as the water drifted her towards the shore. Then, she remembered she couldn't swim. The water was in control. More water came crashing over here, and before she knew it she couldn't breathe. She tried to open her eyes but they were burning badly from the salt in the water. She started coughing uncontrollably, but it only made breathing harder as she swallowed more and more of the water.

Suddenly, she felt strong hands yanking her out the water. She could barely make out who it was with all the water in her eyes. The figure swooped her up bridal style and carried her to the shore. It sat her down gingerly and patted her on the back as she coughed up what seemed like gallons of water.

Finally, it spoke as it sat down next to her, "You okay, Raven?" It was Aqualad's unmistakable voice. Raven didn't know if she was embarrassed or thankful. She figured both. Here he was the best swimmer at JC High, and she couldn't even doggy paddle.

When she was finally able to open her eyes, she turned to him and coughed, "Thank you, Garth. I'd probably be lifeless and floating if it wasn't for you."

He nodded in response, then squinted. "May I ask why you were trying to drown yourself anyway?"

Raven grimaced at the thought and looked at the sand between her toes. "I wasn't trying to drown myself…I was just overpowered by the water," she uttered tensely.

He raised a shocked eyebrow. "You can't swim?" The violet eyed girl just nodded in response. "Maybe I can teach you tomorrow. Well, later today."

Raven shook her head again then said. "What are you doing up at this time of night?"

Garth sighed and stared at the brooding ocean in front of them. "Unfortunately, I was awakened by Starfire frantically searching for Robin, and as I was finally falling back asleep, I was awakened by them being all smoochy in the living room."

"Smoochy?" She asked curiously. "You mean they were kissing?"

"Yep," Aqualad said dryly as he noticed Raven's instant face change. "If you don't mind me asking, you never told me why you wanted me to win Starfire over Robin."

Raven let out a much needed breath. She had been planning on telling Robin how she felt before they'd been interrupted by Starfire, so she figured she might as well tell someone before the night was over. "I kinda have…deep feelings for him."

"Ah, so you want him all to yourself?" The long-haired boy smirked.

Raven hunched her shoulders. "I guess you can put it that way."

Meanwhile in the boys' room, Wally and Beast Boy were preparing to strangle Speedy as he slept. Wally had awakened a couple times to see Beast Boy standing over the snoring boy with a pillow in his hand, ready to smother him. It took KF three minutes to wrestle the pillow out the vegetarian's hands. However, they had slowly switched positions. Beast Boy had woken up even more times to find Wally doing the same.

Not only was Speedy snoring like a loud, barbaric caveman, but his phone had been vibrating for almost thirty minutes straight and he hadn't even stirred.

Finally, Wally decided to do something about it. He reached over his best friend and snatched up his phone. He looked at the screen to see a picture of Jade and the word _cunt_ as her contact name. He wanted to laugh, but he was too annoyed to do so.

Without thinking, he answered and forced, "Look, Jade, I don't know what kind of evil—"

"Hey, Roy," a softer, raspier voice interrupted. He knew it couldn't be Jade. Her voice was much more soothing and cunning. "It's not, Jade. It's her sister, Artemis. Something's wrong with my sister and the baby. The doctors don't know if they're going to make it, so you better get here now."

"Uhhh…hold on a sec," he uttered, dumbfounded. He dropped the phone and began shaking Roy uncontrollably.

"What?" The sleeping boy swatted at him like he was a fly.

"You got a call."

"Can't it wait till morning?" Speedy groaned.

Wally sighed as he picked up the phone and held it towards his friend, "It's important, Roy."

Roy grunted as loudly as possible and snatched the phone as rudely as he could. "Hello," he murmured. Kid Flash watched as he listened intently, and he knew he'd heard the news when his face went from irritated to petrified.

"O-okay. I'll be there as soon as possible," he whispered and hung up the phone. He stood up and started looking around the room frantically. He rushed over to his suitcase and began throwing the things he'd taken out back inside.

"Roy," KF called gently as he observed his friend practically losing his mind over finding his stuff. "Roy, what are you doing?"

Speedy stopped in his tracks and glared at him with eyes that almost seemed demonic. "Didn't you hear what she said? I gotta go. Now."

"Speedy, it's almost two in the morning. There's no way I can drive you there now without killing us both."

"Fine. I'll take a flight."

"There's no planes leaving this late."

"Dudes! Trying to sleep here!" Beast Boy cried out from his bed and covered his head with a pillow.

"Shut up!" The two redheads bellowed then turned back to look at each other.

Wally stepped closer to the anxious boy and assured him, "Look, Speedy, I know you're worried about your daughter and probably Jade, too. But you gotta calm down and think rationally."

Roy's face turned red from the stress. "But what if something happens? I know I wasn't ready for a baby, but she's the only thing I have to look forward to. I wouldn't make it without her."

Kid Flash had to admit he didn't know what to say. He was scared of sounding like a Hallmark movie, but how do you comfort a distraught, drug addict when the only thing that makes them feel alive is drugs?

"Don't say that, Speeds. I'll be there for you. Me, Raven, even Jinx," Wally chuckled and Speedy gave him a tiny, grateful smile. "And don't worry. Jump City has very highly skilled doctors. I'm sure both of them will be just fine."

"Thank you, Wally," Speedy mumbled and gave his friend a brotherly hug. "I don't tell you often, but you're a really good friend. Don't know what I'd do without you."

"No problem," Wally grinned and wrapped an arm around his shoulder. "I'll drive us there first thing in the morning."

"No, man, I don't want to ruin your trip," Speedy said. "Stay here. I'll find a way."

Wally shook his head up and down. "Okay. I'll buy you a plane ticket then, but I think you need someone to go with you for moral support."

Speedy chuckled nervously and asked, "Would it be too far-fetched to ask Raven?

 **A/N: That might've been all over the place. I'm not really sure, but hopefully it was still readable. I had writer's block with this particular chapter for a good minute. As usual, thank you to everyone reading and those who review**.

 _ **Darkpurpleflame:**_ **Yeah, I thought about taking that part out, but I really wanted to show how the drugs gave Speedy irrational thoughts. However, I'm not very creative lol, and that was the only way I could think of at the time. There's nothing actually going on between them though. Aqualad wants Starfire as much as Speedy wants Raven. Thanks for the review!**

 _ **Satisfied Reader**_ **: Thank you so much! I'm beyond honored to know that someone would actually binge read this story. I didn't think it was that interesting lol. Hopefully, the last chapter will give off happy vibes since there are so many sad ones. Also,** _ **honey nut feelios**_ **is my new favorite phrase :)**

 _ **Rymilu**_ **: The intro to your review actually made me laugh out loud. Going through situations like that definitely helps when it comes to trying to put those feelings on paper. In other words, I definitely know how you feel. I hope everything in your personal love life is better now, and if not, it will be :) Thank you for being a consistent reader. It means the world!**


	17. Isn't She Lovely?

**17\. Isn't She Lovely?**

" _ **Isn't she lovely? Isn't she wonderful? Isn't she precious? Less than one-minute old. I never thought through love we'd be, making one as lovely as she. But isn't she lovely made from love?"**_ **–Stevie Wonder**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

"Mind telling me what the hell is going on here?" Aqualad and Raven almost jumped in their skin at the sound of a familiar voice.

The two jumped up from the ground and dusted sand off their clothes as Speedy uncomfortably yet angrily observed the sight in front of him. Raven was holding a blue towel that he assumed was Garth's around her soaking wet body. The already form fitting dress was showing even more through the wet creases. Garth was bare chested and wearing what seemed like flannel, pajama pants. Sitting on the ground around them were empty plates and a single, lavender rose.

"Am I interrupting something?" Speedy's voice rang through the quiet night once again.

Raven quickly stepped forward. "It's not what it looks like, Roy."

Speedy rolled his eyes and growled lowly, "You diss me for Robin yet you're out here enjoying a late night date with Garth?" Then, he looked to the ground and asked a little lower, "What do they have that I don't, Gem?"

Aqualad stepped even closer to the redhead making him take a step back. "A lot actually, but it's not what you're thinking, Speedy." The dark haired boy looked at Raven and smirked. "We were actually trying to figure out a way to help each other get the person we really want."

Speedy frowned curiously and looked at their surroundings once again. "Then, why the rose and the dress?"

Raven sighed and looked away from his enticing eyes that were eating up her every move. "I was hanging out with Robin before Starfire came and stole him away."

"Oh," Speedy closed his eyes from the sudden pang of hurt, "sorry I asked."

Aqualad noticed the change in their demeanors and decided to leave them to themselves. "I'm going back in. Night."

"Why'd you really come looking for me at two in the morning, Roy? Shouldn't you be somewhere snoring?" Raven questioned when they were finally alone. Her thin, cold arms were folded across her chest impatiently.

Speedy let out a breath and looked up to her face, but she wouldn't look at him for anything in the world. "It's Jade."

Raven squinted her eyes but kept her poker face. "What about her?" she asked without care in her voice. Was she supposed to care about his ex that he liked enough to form a relationship and have sex without protection? The girl he would always have a connection with thanks to their child?

He sighed once again and said with a shaky voice, "Something's wrong with her. They don't know if the baby's going to make it."

Raven's heart dropped as she finally looked up into the distressed boy's face. She might not care about Jade's wellbeing, but she knew losing the baby would kill Roy and send him even more towards a downward spiral. He loved the baby the moment he came to turns with reality, and she knew that his future daughter was one of the main reasons he was trying so hard to hold on.

"Oh my gosh," she whispered then asked louder. "What are you going to do? You can't stay the rest of the trip."

"KF is buying me a plane ticket first thing in the morning, but," he paused and looked towards the sand, "he wants someone to come with me for moral support."

Raven followed his gaze and stared at the ground. "I—"

"He wanted to come, but I told him to stay here with Jinx. I don't want to ruin their trip or be a burden on their relationship."

"Speedy, I—"

"I mean—"

"Speedy!" Raven finally stopped the boy's rambles with a scream. He stared at her with pleading eyes and what seemed like a permanent frown. "I'll go with you."

"Really?" he cried out with a hopeful face.

Raven chuckled at his bewilderment, and unconsciously placed a delicate hand on his shoulder. "Yes, Roy. I know how much your daughter means to you. I know how much you love her despite the way she came into your life. And," she stopped and dropped her hand, "and if…if you know, then I'll be the first person there to comfort you. Even if it's really not my thing…"

Suddenly, she felt her body being yanked into a tight embrace. She almost swore she heard him whimpering as he squeezed her even tighter and rubbed her back up and down. "Thank you so much, Raven…I love-"

Before she knew what she was doing, she'd pushed him off her and into the sand. "Don't you dare," she whispered with venom on her tongue. "You don't mean it. You're just going through a lot right now, and I'm the one person who seems to care. Of course you think you love me, but you don't, Speedy. You just don't."

Speedy sighed as he looked up at the sky. He refused to let the salty water fall out of his eyes. "I really care about you. Okay, Raven?" he choked a little more loudly than he wanted. "You can't do anything to change that. You can love Robin all you want, but that doesn't change how I feel about you."

Raven shook her head and breathed out her nose. She looked at the boy on the ground and saw all the worry, stress, and hurt he was feeling displayed on his face. "I'll go back home with you if you promise me two things."

He glanced away from her piercing, violet stare and mumbled. "Okay. What?"

"First, don't tell me you love me. Matter fact, don't mention anything about your feelings for me."

Speedy stood up from the ground and forced angrily, "Fine. Whatever you want, Gem."

"Then," she started but struggled to finish. She didn't really know how he would react to this request. "Toss all the drugs you brought with you into the water."

Speedy's head shot up. She knew he'd brought the heroin with him? Did she think he'd actually used it while they were there? He was scared to ask. "O-okay. I can do that, too."

She stepped up to him and looked him in the eyes. "You left your syringe on the bed, and I can see the scars on your arms."

' _At least someone noticed,'_ he thought sarcastically. "I'm sorry, Raven. I swear I'm trying, but there's always something bringing me down."

Those words pushed Raven into her thoughts. She wasn't the one bringing him down, was she? She looked at him again and noticed how puffy his eyes were and how wrinkled his forehead had become. He looked horrible, and she was finally beginning to feel guilty. Even if she didn't feel the same, that was no reason to throw him to the wolves. She promised him she would try her best to be there for him. She just didn't know how or what to do. She could easily pick up people's feelings like an empath, but actually being there to help them with their feelings just wasn't her cup of tea.

Out of the blue, a lightbulb went off in her head. It was an idea she was sure her body would enjoy, but not so much her heart or mind.

"How about we ask Kid to switch beds with me, so you and I can sleep together?"

Speedy's jaw practically broke as it fell to the ground. "Wait, what? Us together? Can we spoon?" he asked dumbly.

Raven couldn't help but laugh. She watched as a smile slowly formed on his face. He grabbed her hand and smirked. "Well, come on. I need to enjoy this as long as possible!"

"Can I get you anything to drink, Sir?" A blonde, big chested flight attendant grinned at Speedy later that morning.

"Yeah, do you have any wine?" He gave her a handsome smirk and wiggled his eyebrows. The blonde blushed with a giggle and shook her head up and down.

"He'll take water. Thank you," Raven's dry voice ruined the moment without her eyes ever moving from her book. The lady blushed again, but this time with embarrassment.

"She wasn't even going to check for my ID, Rae," Speedy groaned as the attendant walked away.

Raven irately dropped her book in her lap and eyed the guy next to her. "Yeah, probably because she couldn't think straight with her panties so wet," she shot back at him. "This trip would be much more tolerable if you didn't flirt with every bright-hair, big tit, bimbo that walked by."

Speedy sneered and watched her lips as she snapped at him. Being around her for so long was finally making him feel like his self again. "I see someone's jealous."

"Jealous?" she screamed as quietly as possible. "More like annoyed beyond measure."

"I'm just being myself, Gem." He hunched his shoulders. "You're the one who said you missed the old Sunny D."

Raven rolled her eyes. "I never said I missed you. I just said you're not the same person you were when I first met you. But I guess I forgot how annoying you were then."

Speedy chuckled and winked at an auburn-haired girl sitting across from him. "Admit it. You love—I mean enjoy me, Gem."

"Ugh," she grunted and looked back towards her book. Speedy watched as she lost herself in the words once again. He was no longer taking up her attention much to his disliking.

"Thank you," he mumbled when the attendant brought him his water. He took a sip and laid his head back on the seat. If only Raven knew he was just putting on an act. He wasn't Sunny D anymore; he was more like a dimmed light. He couldn't genuinely laugh and flirt with everything he was going through. He didn't actually want any of the girls he was flirting with. The girl he really wanted was right next to him probably daydreaming about another guy. Not to mention, the only reason they were on this plane was because his daughter could possibly be dying right now. There was nothing sunny about him.

When he snapped his noggin back forward, he realized she'd been staring intensely at every particle of his face. "What? Do I have jelly on my face?" he asked, referring to the bagels they'd eaten back at the house.

Raven rolled her eyes to the back of her head. "Why did you think Garth and I had something going on? And what did you mean by what do they have that you don't?"

Speedy's act fell as he remembered the events that took place that dawn. He toyed with his fingers and started, "I don't know. I had a stupid dream about Garth convincing you that he's a better fit for you. And I just started thinking."

Raven squinted her eyes and looked closely at the crevices of his somber face. "Thinking about what?"

Speedy swallowed. "Thinking that maybe that's the reason you don't like me. I'm not smart, dark, or mysterious like him or Robin. I've never read a book for fun in my life, and I can't go on and on about random subjects. I'm not your type, Raven."

Raven turned to look out the window beside them. It was actually a pretty day outside. The sun was shining bright, and the sky was blue and clear and covered with big, fluffy, cumulus clouds. She just hated being so high in the air; it gave her the creeps. That's why she was trying to focus solely on her book, but every word she read only made her think more and more about the boy sitting next to her.

"Speedy," she called quietly, "that's not the reason. I don't have a type, and I don't like Garth in that manner. It was just a dream."

Speedy turned so that his body was facing her and rushed, "Then, what's wrong with me? I know the heroin, but I'm trying, Raven. I'm trying for you."

The girl sighed and looked up into his eyes. "There's nothing wrong with you. I think you're a really great guy, and no person has ever liked me the way you do. You make me feel special, and if it wasn't for my love for Robin, I would probably like you more than you can imagine. But he happened first."

"I understand," he mumbled and turned back to face the seat in front of him.

Raven let out another breath and placed a hand on top of his trembling one. "There's nothing I can do about it."

He quickly snatched his hand from under hers and said without even trying to glance at her, "If you say so."

"Roy, you made it," a raspy voice whispered from behind Raven and Speedy. They were standing at the receptionist's desk in the maternity wing trying to find Jade's room with no luck.

Speedy turned to face the voice and saw a nicely built, slightly tanned, long-haired blonde. "Artemis," he said, relieved. "Are they okay?"

"What you're not going to flirt with her, too?" Raven spat. Ever since their little talk on the plane, both of them had been throwing insults at each other.

Artemis raised an eyebrow at the shorter girl and looked at Speedy. "It's not the time, Raven," he uttered.

Raven sighed, defeated. She suddenly felt guilty. It was time to get serious. Lives could possibly be lost, and she was taking out her frustration on him at a vulnerable time.

The blonde walked over to her and held out a hand. "Hi, I'm Artemis, Jade's sister."

Raven hesitated, but slowly took the girl's hand. She was only being polite. "Raven."

Speedy threw up his hands and let out a frustrated sigh. "Artemis, Jade? The baby?"

"Oh, yeah," she chuckled sadly. "They're stable for now. They're preparing for Jade to deliver the baby as we speak."

Speedy's skin turned red as his blood started pumping fast. "Wait, what? She still has two months left."

Artemis grabbed his hand and led them to the chairs lined against the wall. "Jade keeps having really bad seizures, and her blood pressure's extremely high. She's fell into a coma a couple times. They think she has something called eclampsia," she paused and glanced at the attentive person next to her. "And they say the only way to make sure her and the baby lives through this is early delivery."

Artemis looked over again and saw that Roy was staring at the blue and white, tiled floor with tears rolling off his face and onto his pants. She looked over at Raven, who'd stayed behind next to the receptionist's desk, and motioned for her to come to them. She pointed at the crying boy next to her and gave Raven a small smile.

"Roy," Raven called as she sat down. She slowly placed her hand on his back and rubbed it up and down. This was all so new and awkward for her; she found that was the easiest thing for her to do.

He looked down at her with red eyes. "What if she doesn't make it out here? Her body's not fully developed. She's going to have to fight for her life," he choked and looked back at the ground as more tears fell. "She's too young to fight!"

"I know, I know," Raven mumbled and continued rubbing. She knew it probably wasn't helping, and she wasn't giving him much hope. She looked over at Artemis with pleading eyes.

The blonde herself was tearing her up, but she was keeping it together better. "She's going to be just fine, Roy. She has you as a father and Jade as a mother. Fighting is in her blood. Strength is her middle name. She's not going to give up and neither are you." Artemis grabbed his hand and gave it a tight squeeze.

Speedy shook his head up and down and sniffed as he tried to control his waterworks. "You're right, Artemis. Thank you," he whispered and pulled her into a hug. "You're going to be a great aunt."

She smirked cockily and said, "The best."

Raven sat back in her seat feeling unhelpful. She had come back home to comfort and be there for the boy, but she shouldn't have. She had no idea what she was doing. He might as well have come alone. She swallowed the frustration sitting in the back of her throat and grabbed his other hand. He immediately turned to look at her with a confused face. He looked into her eyes and felt how hard she was trying to be there. He gave her a small, sad smile and held her hand as tight as he could.

"Miss Crock," a doctor called as he stepped out of a room. Artemis looked up with questioning eyebrows. "Miss Nguyen would like to see all her visitors before the surgery."

Artemis swallowed and shook her head _okay_. "Come on guys."

Speedy looked at her with an unsure expression. "I doubt she wants to see me."

"And I don't know her, so I know she could care less about me," Raven added.

"Come on guys," Artemis said unbelievably. "Our parents aren't here. She could use any and all support."

Speedy and Raven nodded and followed the stout woman into the room. If they thought it was cold in the rest of the hospital, it was freezing in the dark woman's room. The walls were white and even colder. There weren't any balloons or get well soon cards. Just an old, creaky TV, one window, and a hospital cot.

In that cot was a seemingly dying woman. Roy's heart broke at the sight of her. Her long, black hair was limp and stringy and her skin paler than usual. Her dark eyes were so puffy, they were almost shut closed. Her lips were red as ever and her limbs swollen. Her large belly was protruding through heavy, gray blankets while her weighty hands lay on top of it.

Suddenly, her lips trembled as she breathed out, "I was thinking of the name Lian. It rolls off the tongue nicely, and it's my favorite flower."

Artemis placed a hand on her sister's as a tear fell off her chin. "Jade, you know that's my middle name as well. You can't deny your love for me forever."

Jade smirked slowly but slyly. "Of course I love you, Little Sister. But it's not like I say it every day."

Meanwhile, Raven stared in amazement as Roy continued to hold her hand. Despite her current conditions, Raven had never seen a more beautiful woman. Speedy claimed she was evil, but how could beauty be so evil. She had long, dark locks and even more enticing dark, cat like eyes. Her lips were plump and cherry red and her motions classy and graceful. Her voice was one of the most soothing things the violet one had ever heard. How could she compete with her? How could Roy love her but not the women in front of them? She was even the mother of his child yet he still wanted the fragile, petite one. It didn't make sense.

"She's a pretty one," that soothing voice startled the girl back into reality. "Never thought you'd find someone who could compare to me."

Speedy chuckled dryly. "She's nothing like you, Jade. She actually cares about me, and she isn't into criminal activity."

Jade laughed wholeheartedly but it was easy to see she was in pain. She coughed and looked at Raven. "Did he tell you he loved you just to get into your pants, too?"

Raven's head snapped up towards the redhead. She snatched her hand from him in disbelief. "What!? She's lying, Rae!" Speedy bellowed and reached for the girl he liked, but she shook her head _no_.

Jade frowned. He actually liked this girl didn't he? She rubbed her belly, trying to feel for her baby girl, and closed her eyes. There was one last thing she had to say before she went into a surgery she wasn't sure she'd make it out of.

"I was in love with you, Roy," she voiced with a strain. "And I know you were in love with me, too. Even if you didn't want to admit it."

At the moment, the doctor stepped back into the room. "Okay, we have to get that baby out. Don't need to waste any more time."

A few nurses walked in and helped the mother to be onto a stretcher. Artemis grabbed her hand tightly and didn't let go as they pushed the rolling bed out of the room.

Speedy plopped into the arm chair in the corner of the room as Raven angrily leaned on the wall with her arms folded. "She's evil even on her deathbed."

Raven shook her head and laughed, "Have you ever thought that maybe she's not evil? Maybe she's just jealous, Roy. She loved you enough to have sex with you, and obviously she thought you loved her back."

"Raven," he called as he stood up, "I never loved her. I've never felt that way about anyone but you. You gotta believe me."

Raven closed her eyes and mumbled, "So, you just told her that to get in her pants? How do I know you're not doing the same to me?" And with that, she stormed out the room.

"Raven!" he screamed but stood still. "Raven, come back! Please." He continued to stand there and wait, but she never came back. He watched as doctors, nurses, mothers with their newborn babies, and excited fathers passed by.

"Shit!" he bellowed and punched the wall next to him, leaving a noticeable dent. He plopped back in the chair and before he knew it, he was snoring and tossing and turning in the cold room.

"Roy," Speedy blinked as someone shook his arm, "Roy, wake up. You gotta meet Lian."

The redhead blinked a few more times as his amber eyes finally focused on the grinning blonde in front of him. "Huh? What's going on?"

Artemis yanked him from his seat, her ponytail flying wildly behind her skull. "Come on. Someone wants to meet you!"

She motioned for him to follow and practically ran to the NICU side of the maternity ward. She stopped in front of a large, clear window. There were five isolettes of sleeping, crying, and pacifier-sucking babies. A few nurses were standing there helping them to feel better. In the back, was another nurse tending to a bright, redhead baby in an incubator.

Roy instantly started crying again at the sight of his baby girl screaming and hollering for her life. Her skin was as red as her hair and her little body as small as his palm. He folded his arms and turned away.

Artemis placed an arm around his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Roy. She was fine a second ago."

"Well, she's not fine now! She's screaming murder and there's nothing we can do about it!" he shouted.

She raised her hands up and said softly, "Calm down. It's going to be okay. She's going to get through this. We're going to get through this. I promise."

He turned to look back at the doll like baby and noticed the ventilators and IVs she was attached to in that cage like box. "I can't even hold her."

Artemis placed a delicate hand on his back. "But you can hold her hand. Come on." Speedy followed as Artemis called for a nurse. "Can he meet his daughter Lian?"

"Of course!" The nurse smiled brightly, a little too brightly for his current mood. "We also need you to sign the birth certificate."

"Is that okay with Jade?" Speedy stopped her from bouncing around the room. He'd figured a while ago that his baby wouldn't have his last name, but that wouldn't stop her from being his.

The lady chuckled at his unsureness, "Miss Nguyen is the one who insisted we wait for you."

She walked over to Lian's incubator and waved for Speedy. He walked over and almost stopped breathing. "Here's little Lian. She's got a strong set of lungs for a preemie."

Speedy's eyes watered again, but this time from joy. The little girl was practically his twin. Many nights he'd stayed awake wondering if Jade had been pulling his foot about the baby being his, but now he had no doubts. She barely had her eyes open, but he could tell they were just as dark as Jade's. They were slightly slanted due to Jade's Vietnamese heritage. Her cheeks were rounded at the top like her father's and her lips were shaped almost identical to his. Her ears stuck out a little mimicking his own.

"Wanna touch her?" the nurse asked with a gentle smile. He shook his head up and down as she reached for the hand sanitizer. She squeezed some into his hand and gave him a reassuring smile.

Speedy took a deep breath and slowly and cautiously reached a finger into the hole of the isolette. He jumped when the small human grabbed it and tried to wrap her tiny hand around it. His heart thumped from the contact and his skin crawled. This tiny human was his creation. She was made from his blood and flesh. It was still hard to fathom, but it felt amazing.

"Where's Jade?" he startled Artemis and the nurse.

Artemis pointed behind her with a raised eyebrow. "She's in her room. Didn't really think you'd want to see her."

"I need to talk to her."

 **A/N: This is the fastest I've updated in a while. There are only about two or three more chapters left, so I'll probably be working on those the rest of this week. Thanks for reading!**

 _ **.**_ **: It's not over yet! Who knows maybe Raven will choose Speedy ;)**


	18. Thinking Out Loud

**18\. Thinking Out Loud**

" **I'm thinking 'bout how people fall in love in mysterious ways. Maybe it's all part of a plan. I'll just keep on making the same mistakes. Hoping that you'll understand. But baby now, take me into your loving arms. Kiss me under the light of a thousand stars. Place your head on my beating heart. I'm thinking out loud. That maybe we found love right where we are." – Ed Sheeran**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own the characters or the song.**

"Knock, knock," Speedy mumbled as he softly knocked on his ex-girlfriend's post-surgery room door. He eased himself in and around the corner to see her lying on her side away from him. He was about to turn around and let her sleep, but was stopped in his tracks by a sniffle. The boy glanced back and noticed her shoulders trembling. He closed his eyes and let out a long sigh. Then, he walked over and placed a hand on her back.

"Hey, you okay?" he asked gently. She turned to face him with puffy, red eyes and shook her head _no_. He'd never seen her look so helpless. He always figured her balls were bigger than his. "Lian's going to be okay, Chesh. I know she's just as tough as you."

"I don't know if I can keep up that façade. I'm not as tough as I seem, Roy," she whispered and reached for his hand to hold.

Speedy smirked and looked at her swollen face, thinking of all the good _and bad_ times they had in the past. "Anyone who can keep that act up for so long is really that tough. Don't turn into a sap; it doesn't look good on you."

She returned his cunning smirk and uttered, "I haven't looked good in seven months."

He pushed a piece of hair that was stuck to her face with sweat behind her ear and said, "Well, it was worth it. Our relationship might've had its ups and downs and some intense makeup sessions, but without those makeup sessions we would've never created our daughter." He stopped and chuckled, "God, she's so beautiful, Chesh."

"I take it she looks just like me." Her smirk never left her face as she watched the man she once loved with every fiber in her bones. If her smirk fell, she might begin to cry again, so she had to stay strong.

"Actually," he boasted and cockily modeled his face with his hand, "she's my twin with your eyes. You didn't see her?"

"I couldn't stand to look at her," she admitted as she turned back on her side away from him. "What's in the bag?"

Roy looked down at the green bag he had in his other hand. "Stuffed animals. One for you, one for Lian."

"Hmm," she chuckled, but it was short lived. "How nice of you."

Speedy dropped the bag and dragged his feet to the other side of her cot. He made sure her eyes were boring right into his own when he dropped his next question. "Why, Jade?"

"Why what, My Dear Roy?" she teased with a sneer.

He eyed the playfulness on her face and frowned. "Why'd you say that in front of Raven? I've been struggling to get her to see that she's the first girl I've ever loved, and I'm not just telling her that to get in her pants. You've ruined everything."

Jade shot up in her bed, hurting her new caesarean scar in the process. "Ah!" she winced and grabbed her stomach. She looked up at Roy with angry, black eyes. "Lian deserves a family, and I was being more than honest. We were in love, Roy. If it wasn't for my…my love for illegal activities, we'd still be together."

He looked to the ground next to his left sneaker and mumbled, "I might've been…infatuated with you. Your feistiness, your beauty, and your _I don't care_ attitude, but if I ever said I loved you, I was just talking. Young, naïve. I didn't know what I was saying."

To his surprise, Jade's face fell and tears threatened to roll from her eyes. Everything she thought they had in the past was false. He never loved her like she loved him. "We've been through so much, Roy. You made me a better person."

"And you did the same for me." He stepped closer to the bed, causing her to have to look up to him. "You helped me through my first withdrawal. So many countless nights of throwing up and screaming in pain, and you were right by my side. But neither one of us could let go of our addictions."

She squinted her watery eyes, making a tear fall. "What do you mean?"

"I'm back on the heroin, Jade. And you were in jail the first month after our breakup." He stepped back and sat in the armchair in the corner. "Let's face it. We're going to be bad parents. Lian deserves better."

Jade's face turned red as she became even more upset. She pointed a finger at the man across the way and growled, "There's no way I'm giving up my baby. She's the only thing worth staying good for."

Speedy thought about what he was proposing. The precious, little girl's face popped into his head. There was no way he could live his life with her being in some stranger's hands. "You're right. I'm just thinking out loud."

Jade tried to swallow her anger and glanced at him through her peripheral vision. "Do you really love her?"

Roy perked up with anxiety. "Who? Lian?"

"No," she forced, " _her_."

"Oh," he tried to stop his blush and smile, but it was impossible, "Raven."

Jade stared at him impatiently, waiting for an answer. But before he knew it, he was lost in thought, thinking about his time with the quiet girl earlier that morning.

" _That's it," Roy whispered as he turned to look at Raven who was standing beside him in the cold but now still water. Moments ago, he was wildly dispersing the contents of his druggy vials into that very water. Now, the powdery substance was finally beginning to dissolve and disappear right before their eyes._

 _Watching his excitement go down the drain like that made Speedy itch. He took the syringe he was clutching in his right hand and snapped the needle off. He chucked the rest of it across the water like a football and let out a long breath of air._

 _Raven looked over as he placed his hands on top of his head in despair. Part of her almost felt bad. Here she was slowly breaking his heart with unrequited love, and now she was forcing him to get rid of his makeshift antidepressants just for her to be a good friend and support him as he goes through a rough time with his daughter. It seemed kind of bitchy._

" _Speedy," she called, making his ears perk, "I'm sorry."_

 _He turned his body towards her and asked with a puzzled look, "For what?"_

 _She sighed and looked away. "For making you toss your drugs. I know they help with the misery and all, but I'm tired of seeing you like this. Weak and helpless._ Depressed _," she paused and forced his broad shoulders into her hands. "It's not you, Roy. Where's Sunny D? Where's the Speedy who boasted about his big feet and could shoot arrows at the speed of light? Please, bring him back. For me."_

 _Speedy stared at the girl in front of him. She was so small and fragile. Her bones looked as if they could break from the smallest snap. But yet she still seemed stronger than him. Braver even._

'What am I doing to myself?' _he thought and held up her chin with two of his fingers. He played with the idea of kissing her, and she probably expected he would, even though she never tried to pull away. Instead, he just stared into her violet eyes with sorrow, even more violet hair flowing in the wind behind her._

 _Slowly, she removed his fingers from her face, taking them in her own. Her face read no emotion but her gestures told it all. She cared._ A lot. _She gave his hand a warm squeeze and wrapped his arm around her waist. He almost pulled back from the shock, but instead chose to wrap his other arm around her as she placed her own around his neck._

 _They stayed in this position for almost two, whole minutes before Speedy couldn't stop the snarky laugh that was brewing in his body._

" _What?" Raven raised an eyebrow as she pulled back. "What's funny?" She let go of him and folded her arms as he continued to cackle with his hands on his belly._

 _He finally calmed down enough to say, "You had to stand on your tip toes," in between giggles._

" _Shut up," she deadpanned and gave him a playful punch in the arm, "Come on let's go put on some dry clothes."_

 _That made him shut up with seriousness. She had stayed downstairs by the pool table as he went to his room to get the drugs. When he got to his room, his and Wally's bed was empty and BB and Terra were in the other one. He didn't know for sure, but that probably meant Robin and KF were in the "girls'" room with their respective partners. He didn't want Raven to see or realize that. It would just ruin their night._

 _Speedy watched as her wet body stomped up the stairs ahead of him, not knowing what she was about to witness. He sighed as they got closer to the door, making her eye him funnily._

" _What?" she asked before twisting the doorknob. He shook his head from left to right and gave her a frumpy smile._

 _She rolled her eyes and turned the door knob with a push. What Speedy saw next broke his heart. Raven's heart dropped almost instantly at the sight of a shirtless Robin holding Starfire in his arms. Speedy could practically see the hurt in her doe eyes as water began to fill them. She looked away and rushed to get her suitcase, trying her best not to break down right there on the floor. She was stronger than that. Speedy watched her with pity. He hated how much she loved him, but he hated seeing her sad even more._

 _Still he noticed one thing she didn't. At first glance, Robin and Starfire might've seemed as if they were sleeping peacefully. However, truth is Starfire was the only one. Speedy watched as Robin moved around trying to get comfortable. He pulled himself away from Starfire with all the tossing and turning he was doing. On top of that, he was snoring like a wild elephant. Speedy knew better than anyone what that meant: Raven was on his mind._

" _Come on," Raven whispered as she carried her suitcase out the door. He took it from her and followed her towards the bathroom. He set her suitcase on the tiled floor as she turned the shower on and turned to walk out the door to give her privacy._

 _But her hand on his shoulder stopped him. He turned his head slightly to see her looking at him with big eyes. "Stay," she uttered._

 _He turned back towards her causing her to drop her hand and take a timid step back. She ended up backing into the counter. "You sure?" he questioned, the steam from the shower already making the atmosphere hot and moist._

 _She shook her head up and down and ordered softly, "Close the door."_

 _Speedy had to admit he was nervous as he shut the door. His breathing was heavy and his heart was pumping rapidly. He could've never even dreamed of this moment, and he was scared he would mess it up._

 _He gawked at Raven standing across from him, her hands sitting behind her on the counter that was propping her up. Her body was still soaking wet and so was his bottom half. He noticed her dress was hugging all the right places. She looked_ ready _. Yet he didn't know for what._

 _But he did know he couldn't stand there just staring any longer. It was almost like her spirit was pulling him towards her pale skin. He hurried to her and picked her body up with ease. He sat her on the counter as she instinctively enclosed him in her legs. His amber eyes met amethyst ones as he took her face into his hands. To his surprise, her lips met his first. They were just as soft and voluptuous as they'd been the other night in the limo. Her tongue fought furiously to open his mouth, and he didn't hesitate to let her in._

 _His grip on her delicate face tightened as she pulled him closer. They were now chest to chest, sucking faces ferociously. Nothing in the world could make him let go. She bit his bottom lip and tugged it softly. He chuckled and took a deep breath before pushing his mouth onto hers once again._

 _Suddenly, he felt something wet running down his jawline. His eyes shot open with worry. He looked down without putting any space between them, but she refused to look at him. So he took his fingers and once again lifted her chin up. His heart shattered for the umpteenth time that week. She was crying. Real, pained tears. She stared at his throbbing lips longing for more of his breath. But she wouldn't dare tell him that. Instead, she just wrapped her arms around her shivering body and looked away._

" _Come on," he mumbled and stepped back, "let's get you in the shower."_

" _You can shower with me," she said quickly. She didn't want to feel alone for one second._

 _Speedy stared at her, wondering why she was being so open with him all of a sudden. Then, it hit him. He was the rebound. Robin caused her pain, and he was making her forget about it. He couldn't lie to himself; it hurt._ Badly _. But he had to suck it up. He had to have hope that one day she would realize. Realize that all along he was the right one for her._

 _Raven gave him a forced, tiny smile and turned so her back was facing him. He knew what that meant from his countless nights with groupies, but the gesture had never been filled with so much tension, so much emotion before. He walked over and slowly removed the dress from her shoulders. He pulled it over every curve and bump until it was on the floor. He was more than amazed by the flawlessness of her pale, youthful skin. He ran a finger down her back, making her tingle and shiver from his touch._

 _His shaky fingers tugged at her black, bra straps and cautiously pulled it off. Part of him was worried that she would scream at him to stop any minute now. But she never did. He took his hands and ran them along the side of her torso and hips until he reached her lacy, black boyshorts. He wasn't even sure if he was prepared to see what they were covering. So, he dropped his hands._

 _Raven immediately turned around, her perky breasts bouncing from the speed. She blushed and covered them with her arms when she realized. "Why'd you stop?"_

 _Speedy chuckled sadly at the innocence her violet eyes showed. "Raven, I can't take advantage of you like this. I know you're not ready, and you're just hurt right now. It's not right."_

" _Speedy," she started, her voice monotone as ever, "I just want to shower. Nothing less, nothing more."_

 _He shook his head_ okay _and pulled his t-shirt over his head. Her feet softly stomped over to him. She took the elastic of his joggers and pulled them away from his hips. He stepped out of them to reveal charcoal gray, boxer briefs and a large print._

'Guess he wasn't lying about the feet thing,' _she thought with shame. Her face tinted red from her thoughts and he smirked as he realized what she was probably thinking. She quickly removed her underwear and tossed them to the side as he began to do the same. She closed her eyes and bit her lip to keep from looking. She wasn't quite ready to see that part of him yet._

" _Come on," he teased and led them to the water._

" _Just hold me," she whispered as the water soaked her for the second time that morning._

 _Speedy did just that. He wrapped his toned arms around her waist as tight as he could and kept them there as she wept silently. Eventually, he didn't even know how long they'd been standing there. He even thought she'd fallen asleep a couple times._

 _Suddenly, "Speedy!" she fussed and pulled away from him._

" _Huh?" he asked dumbly, he'd been in a trance pretty much the whole time._

 _However, she just pointed in response. Let's just say she'd been in a trance as well until she felt something brushing against her navel._

" _Oh!" Speedy chuckled sheepishly and scratched his hair, but the sheepishness didn't last long as a smirk found his face. "Well, I am a guy, Raven."_

 _Despite the situation, he was beyond content at the moment. The last time he took a shower, he spent the whole time hurt because she didn't love him back. Now, they were in the shower together._

 _Even better, when they finally left the bathroom, Robin was sitting outside by the door looking tired and unkempt with his black hair unruly on top of his head. His eyes went wide with terror when he saw the two leaving out and Speedy in nothing but a towel. Raven didn't even stop to give him a glance. And even though they were only able to get two hours of sleep, Speedy had slept like a baby: no tossing, no turning, no snoring. While Robin didn't sleep at all._

"Yeah, I think I do. At least I'm getting there," Roy finally confessed to the waiting Jade.

She let out another short, dry chuckle and gave him a sad, subdued smile. "Then, don't let her go, Roy. Take notes from your daughter and fight. Fight for the girl you love."

"Oh my gosh!" Terra screeched happily in her black graduation gown. "Today's the big day, guys!" Her and all of their friends minus Speedy were standing around in the back of the Jump City Civic Center preparing to walk across the stage.

All of their gowns were adorned with red and gold sashes and some with gold, honors ropes. Robin and Bumblebee had special valedictorian and salutatorian ribbons and huge grins on their faces.

"I'm so nervous," Bumblebee confessed to her friends. "I know I seem pretty confident all the time, but there are so many people out there."

Robin smirked and said, "Just stay calm, Bee. I've given plenty of speeches before. Just pick one section of the crowd and pretend they're the only ones there."

Bumblebee rolled her eyes at her companion and smirked back. "I don't know if that's going to work, but I'll give it a try."

Cyborg gave her a kiss on the forehead. "You're going to be just fine, Bee." Then, he cockily screamed with a fist pump, "My girlfriend's salutatorian! Boo-yah!"

Kid Flash laughed at the athlete's silliness, then turned to Raven and Jinx behind him. "Anybody seen Speedy?"

Both girls shook their heads. "I thought you talked to him last night," Jinx recalled.

He shook his head up and down with a somber frown. "Yeah, I visited him at the hospital. He told me he'd be here bright and early."

"Graduation starts in five minutes. Plus, he missed rehearsal," Jinx voiced matter-of-factly. She looked at Raven whose presence gave off worry, but whose face said nothing.

Suddenly, she spoke up, "How's Lian?"

Wally sighed and told her, "She's doing as well as she can. Speedy's taking it pretty hard." That statement caused Raven to look away from his deep blue eyes. She felt bad for leaving Roy all alone, but she couldn't stand the lies. He made her look like a fool in front of those two girls. "He told me what Jade said the other day. I think you should talk to him, Raven. He needs you."

Raven looked at him with a blank face. Maybe she would talk to her ex-shower partner after graduation, but what was she going to say? Sorry I'm making it so hard for you to get in my pants? Maybe Jade is the right one for you? She needed time to think and sort out her feelings. Every time her trust for him began to grow, something happened to make it shrink.

"Okay, everyone, get in your places. Graduation starts in 3," the event coordinator ordered as he hastily snapped his fingers.

"Eep!" Starfire screeched excitedly and found her place near the front of the line.

Beast Boy followed next, "This is it, Dudes!" Luckily for them, his last name came right before Terra's. Everyone else followed suit and stood in their respective places.

"Be careful in those heels, Rae," Jinx giggled evilly from two spots down.

Raven turned around and flipped her off with a smirk. She knew heels weren't her best of kind shoe, but she could walk in them just fine.

"Harper? Harper?" The event coordinator called with a clipboard in his hands. He was checking everyone off the list when he realized Speedy wasn't there.

"Here! Here!" Speedy stumbled in, gown, sash, and cap in his hands. His button down was wrinkled, his tie was loose, and his pants were in desperate need of a good creasing. At least his hair was brushed neatly, but his skin looked clammy and red.

The guy in charge let out a breath and shook his head, "Uh, you, Fisher, help him get his stuff on. And hurry."

"Oh my goodness, he's drunk," Jinx whispered to Raven, the two peers between them starting to get annoyed.

Raven watched him in disbelief. He was stumbling all over the place as Aqualad struggled to get his cap secure on his head. His tassel was swinging every which way and the zipper on his gown kept getting stuck. Jinx was right; he was beyond inebriated. This only further angered Raven. He wanted her to love him, but he didn't even care enough about himself to come to graduation sober.

As the sound of Pomp and Circumstances filled the air, the soon to be graduates couldn't stand still in their places. Their hearts were pumping with excitement and nerves. Robin couldn't help but let an enormous smile grace his face as the coordinator signaled for him to walk out. This was a moment he'd dreamed of for many years: leading his class to their new beginning. Their new journey in life. He'd practiced his speech many times over the past month, and now the day was finally here. He knew Bruce and Alfred were beyond proud, and he knew his parents were looking down at him with so much pride and joy.

He looked around the civic center as he stood in his place on stage. He laughed at Bruce and Alfred's obvious excitement and cheesiness as they snapped plenty of pictures and held up _Congrats, Robin_ signs. They were always so serious, seeing them like this was always a rare, joyous occasion. Nothing could ruin this moment…Not even the image of Raven leaving the bathroom with Roy that'd been pounding his brain since that fateful moment.

Moments later, he happily placed his hand over his heart as Cyborg proudly recited the pledge of allegiance. Next, he sat eagerly as Raven, being third in class rank, dryly gave the welcoming. He was inching off his seat as the principal announced the top ten of the class and gave out sports and academic-related scholarships. He smirked when Speedy drunkenly climbed the stairs to accept a surprise, track scholarship to Steel University. Then, as Bumblebee began her speech, he listened intently, waiting for the end and trying unsuccessfully to calm his nerves.

"Thank you, Class of 2016, for the wonderful, countless memories. And I hope we all look this great at our ten-year reunion," Bumblebee laughed with rest of the crowd as she ended her speech.

"Up next, please welcome this year's valedictorian, Richard John Grayson!" The principal announced into the microphone with a clap. The crowd followed the announcement with a roar of cheers and applauds.

Karen placed a hand on his knee as he started to stand. "Good luck!" she whispered and gave him a smile.

"Thanks," he whispered back and walked friskily to the podium. He let out a sigh and began, "Good morning, faculty, families, friends, and my fellow graduates. Today we embark on a new journey towards this idea called life. These last eighteen years we've been sheltered from the real trials and tribulations and stress that the real world brings. Even through the hardships we faced as youngsters, we all had at least that one adult figure in our lives that kept us hopeful and motivated. Now, it's our turn to be those adults. It's our turn to rise up and be motivators and great influences for the younger generations. Time—"

"Get your hands off me!" Robin snapped from his trance of reading his speech and looked down towards the floor to see two guards wrestling with Speedy. He looked around and realized that no one was paying attention to him or his speech. How long had this been going on?

"Calm down, sir," one of the guards cautioned as he tried to put Speedy's arms behind his back.

But the drunken redhead was putting up a good fight. He pulled himself away from the guard and started towards Robin. Robin stepped back from the podium worriedly.

"You don't deserve to give that speech!" Roy screamed and wildly pointed his finger at his rival. "You don't deserve to be valedictorian!" Their classmates watched in fear. Bumblebee stood up and placed an arm around Robin and looked at him, confused and concerned.

Raven couldn't take it anymore. She stood up from her seat and raced over to Speedy. She placed a hand on his chest. "Calm down, Roy," she cried to him.

"Come on here!" A guard said angrily and threw him on the ground. He sat a knee on his back as he forced handcuffs tight around his wrists.

"He's far from smart, Raven," Speedy whispered from the ground and looked up into her wet, violet eyes. She had her hand over her mouth trying to prevent herself from crying. The scene was making her heart hurt way worse than she would've expected it to. Suddenly, she felt Wally's hand on her shoulder.

"Speeds, please just go before they have to take you to jail," his best friend pleaded.

"You're an idiot, Grayson!" Speedy turned his attention back to Robin as the guards forced him to stand up. "How can you be number one in the class? You're not even smart enough to realize how much she loves you!"

Robin's heart froze in that instant. He shook his head _no_. Speedy had to be talking about Raven, but it didn't make sense. She obviously liked Speedy. They had even taken a shower together which was totally out of character for her. Plus, Raven could never love him like that. Right? They were only friends…right?

"Yeah! That's right!" Speedy continued, his voice fading as they pulled him closer to the exit. "Raven's in love with you! She chose you over me!" And with that, he was gone. The crowd was loud with chatter and the students on the floor were quiet from shock.

Raven slumped in her chair. This was an even worse replay of the night Speedy found out she slept with Wally. He always drunkenly admitted her secrets to the world, but at this point she didn't care. It was about time Robin knew how she felt; she just wished it would've happened at a better time and without Speedy getting kicked out of graduation before receiving his diploma.

Robin backed away from the podium and fell back into his chair. There was no way he could finish his speech after that. He thought nothing could ruin this day, but he was wrong. Of course, Speedy had to find some way to take away his shine. But maybe it was all worth it for the revelation the boy revealed: Raven was in love with him.

And after countless nights of wondering why he couldn't get her breathtaking face off his mind or couldn't even hear her voice without his heart skipping a beat and after the pain that grew in his heart from seeing her leave that bathroom with Speedy, he was finally beginning to realize the truth: he was in love with her too.

 **A/N: This chapter was originally much shorter until I added the flashback. Maybe I should've left it short, but it just didn't feel right. Anyway, two chapters left if anyone still cares lol :) Thanks for reading!**


	19. Crazy

**19\. Crazy**

" **I've finally realized that you are my true love. And I had a lot of time to think, and you're all I seem to keep thinking of. And now I know I need you each and every day. I can't live without you, so don't run away." – K-Ci and JoJo**

 **Caution: This might be entirely too long, but the last chapter is going to be significantly shorter. It's going to be an epilogue, so I had to fit a lot of stuff in this chapter. If you need to, take a break while you're reading, get a snack, or whatever lol. For some reason, I wanted this story to be 20 chapters even, so I don't want to split it up. Hope you enjoy anyway! :)**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the characters or song.**

 _Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock._

Suddenly, "Argh!" Robin picked up the ticking clock that was driving him out of his mind and slammed it to the ground. He looked at the shattered glass on the floor of his dark and intimidating bedroom and felt a sense of relief. He'd been holding so much anger in his heart over the last few hours, and he was beginning to feel like he would explode.

He looked at the old, antique now broken clock once more, his sense of relief disappearing. He became upset with himself again as he remembered why he had a clock in his room in the first place. It made him feel different and sophisticated. While the rest of the people in his generation relied on their phones for the time, he could actually still read a clock and knew what the long and short hands on its face meant. Not to mention it'd been passed down through Bruce's family for generations. And now it was ruined thanks to his thoughtless, emotional outburst.

But the anger he felt towards himself for breaking the clock was nothing compared to the anger he'd been harboring for hours. _For nineteen whole hours._

"I love her," he whispered in disbelief to himself for the umpteenth time in those nineteen hours. "I love Raven. I love Raven! Ugh!" he grunted and fell back onto the black, satin sheets of his California king sized bed.

How could he have not realized sooner? How come it took Speedy's drunken outburst for him to be honest with himself? He pulled his hair with annoyance and swallowed a large ball of anxiety.

It was five in the morning, and he hadn't been to sleep since the night before graduation. And even then he hadn't gotten much sleep, because she was on his mind. He should've known right then. When he couldn't close his eyes without seeing her face. When he felt actual guilt for kissing and holding Kori and even just telling the redhead he liked her. When he felt numbing pain after seeing her stroll out that bathroom without even acknowledging him. He should've known.

Maybe Speedy was right. He was dumb. Dumb as can be. He'd been best friends with this girl ever since he'd moved in with Bruce. That equaled up to about nine years. He knew everything about her, so he thought. He could predict her facial expressions, her body language, and her thoughts in certain situations. He knew whenever she was around or had been in a certain spot, because he knew her scent that well. He knew when she was about to call or knock on his door, because he could feel her coming. He could feel her calling out to him, searching for him.

Yet, he couldn't decipher her love for him. He'd been so blind, even Speedy had noticed that. He put his face in his hands and sighed. It hadn't even felt like he graduated the morning before. After the ceremony, Bruce and Alfred took him to a small, quiet, expensive restaurant outside the city to celebrate. Neither of them barely said a word as they fed themselves. The car ride back home had been even more silent.

When they got to the mansion, Robin had immediately proceeded to his dark, gloomy room and locked the door. Since then, for literally hours, he'd just been pacing and scolding himself for not realizing how she felt and even worse, how he felt. He didn't even know why, but every time he admitted to himself that he was in love with her, it felt like a burden was being lifted off his chest. A burden he didn't even know he was bearing.

The only times he had even stepped out of his room was to use the bathroom and when he thought he'd mustered up the balls to go over and talk to the girl. Needless to say, he chickened out each time. Every time he touched the golden doorknob of the main door, he jumped back, almost as if the knob was electric.

He was still dressed in his white button down and black slacks as he continued to pace around the room in his fancy, black socks. He'd snatched his tie from around his neck in frustration and had thrown both of his loafers at the wall to release some of the anger hours before.

Suddenly, he sat on the slippery, satin sheets and put his chin in his palm as he pondered, _'How long?'_ Just how long had Raven been in love with him? A month? A year? Their whole four years in high school? He began pounding his brain for memories that stood out to him, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. She hid it well. She always backed him up when it came to other girls. She was always the one to encourage him to be confident and approach them.

Then, it hit him. All those snarky remarks about it being easy for girls to fall for him were about her. When she shocked him by saying he should date more, she meant with her. The uneasiness she showed when he mentioned other girls made sense now. Her deciding to grow her hair out and suddenly dress more revealing might've been because she was subconsciously trying to be more like Starfire, but it wasn't for the reasons he assumed. She wanted him to like her like he liked Kori, but he just figured she wanted her best friend back. Despite the fact that she hid it as best as she could, the answers were there all along. It should've been obvious to him, her best friend, the person who was supposed to know her best.

The reason why she treated Wally differently made even more sense now. Many nights, he lay awake wondering if Wally was just the superior friend. Many nights he scolded himself for not being a good friend to her or anyone else. He worried about ending up alone and friendless due to his ways. But all this time it was because she loved _him_. Not Wally. But why did she sleep with the other boy then? Did she love him before that happened? Was her love for him the reason they eventually stopped?

So many questions were running through Robin's head as he lay back on his firm pillow. He moved his hands under his head as he turned on his side to stare out the window. It was the window that faced Raven's room. He had spent several moments glancing at the window to see if her curtains ever opened. But the only proof he ever got of her being there was the light flickering on and off at different times of the day. Thunder and lightning had been shaking and lighting up the sky since midnight. Raindrops had joined them about an hour ago, and he was finally starting to get drowsy. He wondered if Raven was having just as much trouble falling asleep as he began to drift off into a deep slumber.

"Master Richard," Alfred called with a soft knock on the door, startling Robin up from a nap he didn't even know he was taking, "you have to eat some time."

Robin sat up quickly and wiped drool off his mouth. He looked around the room frantically, taking in his surroundings and trying to figure out what was going on. Then, the guilt and anger hit him like a bowling ball. Memories of the last twenty-something hours came rolling into his brain. He sighed and tried to straighten his wrinkled shirt as much as possible.

He stood up and walked over to the door. "Thanks, Alfred, but I don't have much of an appetite," he muttered without ever making eye contact with the older man.

The gray-haired butler shifted the tray of food in his hand while keeping a dismal look on his face. "At least have your daily coffee."

Robin cleared his throat and nodded. "Okay." He reached for the smoking mug of his usual black coffee with coconut milk and a hint of cinnamon and finally looked at the man's creased face. "Thanks."

Alfred just nodded and reached to shut the door. Robin let out another long sigh as he leaned the back of his head on the now closed door. He looked down at the broken, but still ticking clock on the ground and realized he only slept a few hours. It was now ten AM, and the clouds were still gray and rainy.

He walked over to his window as he blew the smoke away from his coffee. He gripped the hot mug tightly and stared into the sky. The whole thing looked like a scene out of a gloomy movie. There were no birds chirping or cars moving. No one was outside to get the paper or mow their lawn. The morning was just still. And he hated it. He needed something to take his mind off her. Anything.

Suddenly, a car swerved around the corner and into the driveway of the Roth's residence. The windshield wipers on the car were moving at a ferocious speed as the headlights highlighted the front of the house. Robin blinked a couple times and realized that the car belonged to Raven. He gripped his mug tightly as a big dose of adrenaline coursed through his body.

On an impulse with the coffee still in his hands, he dashed out of his room and down the long, grand staircase as fast as his socks would allow. He jumped off the last step and practically slid to the front door, wasting dark coffee on his bright white shirt. He cursed himself as the rain hit his head and drenched the rest of his body. But he didn't care, because he made it to Raven just in time.

"Robin?" she asked with wide eyes as she opened her car door. Robin looked at her with fear and his mouth agape from the heavy breathing he was doing. "What are you doing?" she asked from the seat. She eyed her friend and noticed that he was still dressed in his graduation attire and his hair now clung to his red face. His coffee mug was practically overflowing from the abundance of rain pouring into it.

"Raven," he finally said, but realized he was stuck for words when nothing else would come out.

Raven pulled the hood of her black hoodie over her hair and grabbed her tea out of the drink holder. She stepped out the car and pointed in his direction. "Why are you still wearing your graduation clothes? Why are you holding a mug of now rainy coffee? Where are your shoes!?"

Robin glanced at the coffee mug and tossed it behind him while stepping closer to her. "You and me were drinking our usual coffee and tea at the same time," he uttered with shock, then looked back at her and shouted happily, "That's a sign, Raven!"

Raven squinted her eyes and questioned, "What are you talking about, Robin? I couldn't sleep, and I thought maybe tea would help, so I went down to the café and picked up some." Then, she added matter-of-factly, "And you drink coffee every morning. Nothing coincidental about that."

Robin hastily grabbed her by her shoulders, making her jump in her skin. "Raven, don't you see?"

"See what?" she asked and pushed him away with gentle force.

"Our bond!" he screamed as he threw his hands in the air. "Our connection! I was so blind to not see it before." Robin knew he must've looked crazy, but he'd been thinking of ways to tell her what was going through his head for almost twenty-hours. This was the perfect opportunity.

Raven looked at her best friend standing in front of her soaking wet. She'd never seen him look so stressed and tired. Bags were forming under his eyes and the whites of his eyes were now red. He looked unkempt with the coffee stains on his shirt and mud covering his socks.

"Robin," Raven started softly. She placed her hands on his trembling shoulders and stared into his anxious face. "I know Speedy embarrassed you the other day; he embarrassed me, too. He told you something that should've come from me. And maybe I'll tell you from my own mouth later…but right now, just go home. Go to sleep and don't stress."

Raven was just tired of everything and wanted to go back to her bed. Their friendship was going to be awkward, to say the least, for a while now. She could barely even face him at the moment.

"Raven, I love you," the boy suddenly rushed and mocked her by putting his own hands on her shoulders for the second time.

Raven's body froze. _'What did he just say,'_ her voice whispered in her mind. Since the graduation, she'd been doing everything in her power to forget that Speedy had told Robin what she'd been wanting to tell him for two years. She had already come to the conclusion that there was no way he could possibly ever love her back or feel the same. He would've realized it by now. He wouldn't be so headsprung over Kori. He'd be competing with Speedy for her instead of Garth for the redhead. There was just no way he could want her.

Robin looked into the girl darkened and glazed over pupils. "There," he forced, placing his hands on his hips and looking away from her piercing stare. "I said it."

Raven was still in disbelief and shaking her head. "Wh-what did you j-just say?" she stuttered as the hard rain drops continued to drench them.

Robin gave her a stern look. Did he really have to muster up the nerves to say it again? Now, he was befuddled. Did Speedy lie? Did he just embarrass himself even further by admitting feelings that she didn't reciprocate?

"I said," he started, then sputtered, "I…I love you."

 _Splash!_ Robin jumped back as the tea cup fell from Raven's hand. The warm tea stained his socks even more. Robin wiped the growing fog and moisture off the lens of his glasses. What he saw made his adrenaline die down and his misery wake up. _Raven was gone._ He looked over and saw her frantically trying to unlock her front door.

"Damn it!" he growled and hit himself in the forehead. He didn't move his eyes as she finally made it inside and closed the door. He stood there still, rain mixing with his tears, heart bleeding more than ever.

Meanwhile, "Damn it!" Raven screamed those very same words from the other side of that door.

Her mom stepped into the foyer with a dish rag in her hand looking worried, but she took off up the stairs and into her room. She removed her now soaked clothes off her body and threw them into a corner. She slipped on one of Wally's large, red, track t-shirts and placed her hair in a bun at the nape of her neck. She walked over to her vanity and looked at her pale, frosty skin in the mirror. She looked like she hadn't been in the sun in days.

Before graduation, she had spent two days locked up in her room pretty much just thinking about Speedy and how she felt about him. Thinking about Robin only made her heart hurt. She knew she loved him more than any man in the world, but he had hurt her to the core. He'd abandoned her in the middle of the ocean to hold Starfire in her sleep. She thought she knew right then that there was no hope for them.

However, Speedy's face almost never left her mind. Every time she thought about that moment they shared in the bathroom, her heart fluttered with a feeling she couldn't even explain. Even their time together on the plane and at the hospital before Jade's revelation made her long for his touch. However, she was almost glad she hadn't been there when the baby was born. A part of her was actually jealous of the bond him and Jade now shared. And what if the baby looked like the other girl? Plus, she wasn't good with the support thing. She would probably only make him feel worse.

Raven sighed as she noticed a picture in the frame of her vanity mirror. The picture was of her and Robin at the tender age of thirteen. It was before the ebony-haired boy had gotten all dark and serious and thought it would be funny to throw her a surprise party for her birthday. Cyborg had caught her in the middle of beating a cackling Robin with the bat for the piñata and snapped up the moment. For many years, they laughed at that picture. Now, it brought her nothing but pain.

"Okay," she said out loud to herself, "I'm just going to take another sleeping pill or two and just sleep the rest of the day."

She reached for the pill bottle on the table and popped open the cap. She had been doing this every eight hours for the last twenty-four hours. At this point, all she wanted to do was sleep. And falling asleep on her own proved to be too difficult. She swallowed the pills dry and put herself to bed.

"Maybe when I wake up, everything will be better," she whispered as she dozed off into oblivion.

Ten hours later, the rain had finally come to a halt, but the outside world was still dark and dreary. The sun was hiding behind gray clouds and preparing itself to set. The night was just as still as the morning and not a sound could be heard until…

"Speedy!" Raven shot up from her deep sleep and grasped her chest. She looked around her room, panting and trying to catch her breath. She'd been sleeping peacefully thanks to the melatonin in the pills when her heart started palpitating and her brain forced her up with sudden worry for Speedy.

She reached for her phone and saw that she had twenty missed calls from Robin and none from Roy. She pushed the covers off her body and turned to get out the bed.

"No," she mumbled and grabbed her forehead. "Something's not right. Something's wrong with Speedy."

The feeling she was experiencing was indescribable. It was like Speedy was in her brain, calling her name and screaming for help. She'd never witnessed anything like it before. Her and Robin had a similar bond, but it had never seemed like his voice was inside her head. She could almost feel the rapid beating of his heart and sense his fear. She was beyond frightened.

She rushed over to her dresser and pulled a hoodie over her t-shirt. She slipped her legs into a pair of black tights and laced her combat boots on her feet. She had a feeling she was about to play hero to Speedy once again. But this time instead of her, Jinx, and Wally being the Fantastic Three, she was going to be Wonder Woman on her own.

"Please," Speedy cried as a man held a gun to his head. "I have a daughter. She can't lose her father."

The gun-pointer and his victim were standing in the middle of a dark, hidden alley. On the other side of Speedy were two other men who had aided the other in beating the new father to a pulp. They were holding him up making sure he didn't fall or try to run away. After bruising his face and probably breaking a rib, they had forced him up against a wall.

"Don't shoot him." Speedy sniffed and squinted his blackened, swollen left eye at the darkness, searching for whoever that voice belonged to. He watched as the figure stepped into the light of the alley, causing the guys to stiffen up and step away from Speedy. The figure was the guy from the big, red drug house that had slapped Raven and threatened Speedy.

The man holding the gun spoke up and said, "We roughed him up like you asked, Boss."

"Please!" Speedy cried out once more from the brick wall. "Just let me go!"

"Shut up!" One of the guys thundered and whacked Speedy in his jaw. Speedy was sure he now had one less tooth. He spat out blood and looked at the guy with cold, amber eyes.

The buffer leader of the group chuckled at Speedy's anger and fright. He walked up to him and placed his hands around the shaky boy's neck, but he didn't squeeze. Instead, he gave him a sly smirk and turned back to his team. The fellow holding the gun never took his eyes off Speedy.

"You fools bring the drugs?" The boss sissed like a venomous snake.

The guys all shook their heads up and down and searched their pockets. Seconds later, they all pulled out heroin-filled syringes. Speedy gulped. He had no idea what this guy was about to do to him. The only things he could think of were Lian and _Raven_. He didn't want his daughter to grow up without a father. He couldn't leave her to grow up with Cheshire as her biggest influence. Not to mention, he had never known love like her before and there was no way he could lose it just as he got it.

On the other hand, he was mad at himself for thinking about Raven. She didn't love him and she never would. She hadn't even come to visit him or his sickly daughter. He thought she cared, but he was wrong. She abandoned him and never looked back. And now that Robin knew the truth, he'd probably admit his love to her and they would just live happily ever after. Maybe Cheshire was right. Maybe she was the best one for him. That way Lian could grow up in a loving family. _Sigh_. It was all causing his head to throb.

Suddenly, he was reminded of the main reason his head was throbbing as the minions of the stronger man took him by the shoulders and forced him to turn around. They forced his face into the bricks, cutting his already shallow breath off. He shuddered as he felt the cold metal of the gun against the back of his skull.

"Remember when I promised you I would have your head if I didn't receive my money," the older man's voice rang through Speedy's ears, but he refused to answer. "Answer me!" The man roared and pushed the hurt boy into the wall even harder, causing him to reluctantly shake his head up and down.

"Well," the guy started in a lower, more evil tone, "I decided to spare your brain and just give you what you enjoy the most. Heroin."

Speedy tried to turn his head, but it hurt too bad, as he asked, "Wh-what do you mean?"

Suddenly, he was being thrown to the ground. He threw his arms in front of him, trying to brace himself for the fall, but it didn't help much. Shards of glass stabbed his palms causing him to cry out in pain. The hoodlums around him just laughed at his misfortune.

"Show him what I mean," the boss ordered his goons with the snap of his fingers.

Before Speedy knew what was going on, he felt his skin being pierced with what felt like a million needles. The minions were injecting him with syringes filled with God knows what in all the wrong places. They hadn't even made sure his veins were showing or even had the courtesy to stick him somewhere he wasn't already bruised.

"Ahh!" Speedy screamed out in pain as he rolled over on the hard rocks of the alley.

"Come on. Let's leave him to rot," he heard a voice say and suddenly he felt alone.

Tears crawled down his face as his heartbeat began to slow. He choked on his own spit and forced more tears out his eyes. _They had left him there to die._ And no one would suspect a thing. It would just look like a heroin overdose. He would die from the very thing he was trying his hardest to wane himself off of, and everyone he knew would just shake their heads at his decision. Lian would grow up thinking that her father didn't care enough about her to stop doing drugs. Green Arrow would live the rest of his life ashamed of his nephew. And Raven would think he failed her.

"Speedy?" Speaking of Raven, that voice sounded a lot like hers. " _Speeeeeddddyyy_!" The voice came once again, but this time louder and more frightened. He jumped in his skin as small, shaky hands grabbed his face. He looked up into her beautiful, scared eyes and let the tears flow once again.

"Raven," he breathed with sadness. He tried to reach up to touch her face, but his arms were to limp. All of a sudden, he felt himself nodding in and out of consciousness.

"Speedy!" Raven shouted and shook her dying companion's flaccid body wildly. Then, she said with a hint of fury, "Stay with me. Don't do this to me." She patted her pockets, looking for her phone, but she realized she left it in the car.

She looked over to her car on the side of the road. It was way too far, but she had no other choice. "Come on!" she shouted at the boy. She looked down into his face and saw that his pupils were now dilated as if he was in complete darkness. She kissed his trembling lips as something inside compelled her to say, "You can't do this now, Roy. I'm falling in love with you!"

The boy stared back at her speechless: literally and figuratively. He couldn't believe his ears. Raven had finally admitted she felt the same, but his current condition had stolen his voice. She couldn't stop the tears that were falling from her eyes as she stood up and tried to lift him. She put her arms under his and tried forcing him up, but he was too heavy. She took his forearm and tried to feel for a pulse but it was barely there.

She hugged his body to her chest and screamed to the top of her lungs, " _Somebody_ help!"

"Raven!" She heard a familiar voice scream back.

She looked behind her and was met with Robin's stunned face. He had cleaned up and was now sporting a white, polo shirt and black jeans. Raven might've been mesmerized if she wasn't so scared for her friend's life.

"Don't just stand there!" The violet one shouted as she once again tried to lift the redhead. He seemed to get heavier and heavier. "Help me get him to the hospital! He's overdosing!"

Robin's adrenaline kicked in for the second time that day. He sprinted towards the two and helped his newfound love carry the drugged one to his car. He sat in the driver's seat and stepped on the gas without making sure there wasn't any oncoming traffic as he sped towards the hospital.

"Roy," Raven said softly to the boy she was holding in her lap, "stay with us. Please." She squeezed his body as tight as she could and brushed his messy hair with her hand. She wiped her eye as a tear she was trying to prevent fell from it and let out a sigh.

"Oh God," Robin gagged as he glanced at the backseat, but it wasn't from seeing Raven holding the boy, it was because the boy's skin was changing before their eyes. "His skin is turning blue!" He tried his best to keep from swerving off the road, but he was losing his mind over their current situation.

Raven looked down at the boy in her arms and started hyperventilating, "Robin, what are we going to do?! We can't just let him die on your backseat!" She shook the boy again, but he didn't respond. At this point, she was no longer trying to stop her tears; they were inevitable.

Robin swallowed whatever selfishness he might've possessed and looked back at his scared best friend. He knew he would do any and everything for her. He would literally walk through hell for her. "Try to make him throw up!"

"What!?" she screamed back as she tried to slow her breathing.

"I don't know. I've seen it in movies. Maybe it'll help!" Robin screamed back and tried to keep his eyes on the road.

Raven closed her eyes and swallowed her pride. She stuck her finger as far down Speedy's throat as she could manage. The boy's body shook frantically as he began gagging. Raven tried to keep calm as the boy vomited all over himself and Robin's backseat. It was sickening, but at least he was now conscious and moving.

Her eyes lit up red as Robin pulled up into the ambulance's parking spot near the emergency room sign. She wasn't the most positive person in the world, but she was hoping more than ever that everything would be okay.

Raven stared in fear at the straight, green line on Speedy's heart monitor. She didn't blink one time as she hoped and prayed that it would magically start beeping. She was eerily still and quiet compared to the doctors that were doing everything in their power to bring him back to life. They had already given him a shot of a drug that was supposed to reverse the effects of the overdose. But before his body could even respond to it, his heart went into cardiac arrest.

"Clear!" A doctor called as he shocked Speedy's heart with a defibrillator. He raised the metal plates up and shocked Speedy's heart once more, "Clear!"

 _Beep-beep-beep-beep-beep_ , a slow, steady rhythm suddenly began to fill the air. Raven's heart almost stopped itself from the overflow of joy that was now flowing through her blood.

"We got him back," one of the nurses commented.

"Get him stable," the doctor replied back.

"Raven," a voice called from behind her. She turned around and gave Robin a wet, tear-covered smile. Robin gave her a small, sad smile back.

"He's alive," she mumbled and ran to hug him.

Robin rubbed her small, petite back and whispered, "That's great, Rae."

Raven pulled back and chuckled as she dried her face with the back of her hand. "Thought we lost him. Thank you, Robin, for somehow being our knight in shining armor."

Robin gave her a modest shake of the head and uttered, "No problem."

Raven glanced back at Speedy's machine and smiled at the green, zig-zag lines. She made sure she saw his chest moving up and down before she stepped out the room and closed the door behind her. "How did you find me anyway?"

Robin eyed her nervously and scratched his hair with a sheepish smile. "I was outside sitting in my car thinking of ways to apologize to you when I saw you practically sprinting out of your house. You looked scared and worried, so I trailed you."

Raven furrowed her eyebrows. "Wait, you followed me from my house to his house to the hospital and all around the slums?" Before she found Speedy sprawled out in an alley, she had made sure he wasn't at home or at the hospital with his daughter first. She had driven around the dumps of the city for twenty minutes before she spotted him.

"Hehe," Robin chuckled nervously.

Raven rolled her eyes at his stalkerish ways and asked dryly, "What did you want to apologize for anyway?"

Robin blushed and looked away. "For saying I love you," he admitted, but his words were barely audible. "I mean I do, but you don't feel the same…"

Raven looked down to the ground with her arms folded and then back up at the taller boy in front of her. "Robin, I love you, too." Robin perked up as their eyes met. Sad, violet orbs pierced into hopeful, cerulean blue ones.

Robin stepped closer to Raven and grabbed her hand. "Really?" he asked with caution.

"Yes," Raven said with a snatch of her hand. She folded her arms again and took a deep breath. "But," she exhaled.

The smile waiting to cross Robin's face disappeared. "But what?"

Raven shut her eyes as tight as she could, and without ever opening them, told the waiting boy, "I'm falling in love with Roy."

"What?" Robin's heart dropped. "Raven, he's a promiscuous, immature junkie with a kid!" He couldn't help but scream at her. Was she seriously picking Roy over him?

"And you're a too-serious, pompous jerk that wears too much hair gel and doesn't know how to be honest with himself!" Raven spat back with balled up fists. He had no room to criticize Speedy; he wasn't exactly her dream guy.

Robin stepped back, hurt. That was what she really thought of him? He turned to walk away, but was stopped by Raven's hand. He looked back at her and saw the sadness in her big, violet eyes.

"Richard, I'm sorry." She really didn't mean to insult him; it just came out. "But none of us are perfect."

The black-haired boy nodded and asked with so much passion in his voice, "What about us, Raven? We can finally take our friendship to the next level. Don't you want that?"

Raven sighed and confessed, "If you would've asked me that two weeks ago, maybe even one, my answer would've been _more than anything_. Now," she paused and looked at the fire dying in his eyes, "my answer is I _wanted_ that."

Robin closed his eyes and tried to ignore the waterworks that threatened his eyelids. Raven stared at him and wondered if she was making a big mistake. But the second Speedy crossed her mind, all those doubts disappeared. She'd never felt her emotions as strongly as she had these last two hours. The worry she felt when she saw Roy in that alley was the most she ever worried. The anger she felt at Robin for just standing there watching was the angriest she'd ever been. She'd never been more fearful as she sat there holding and squeezing Roy in the backseat of Robin's car. Her anxiety had never been more gut-wrenching than it was as she watched his heart monitor. And she had always thought the amount of joy she felt when he came back to life was unattainable, unreachable.

It was because of her finally allowing herself to feel her emotions that she realized Speedy was right. She was falling for him and hard. Her love for Robin had been slowly fading over the last two weeks, but she had been clenching on to it for so long, she didn't even want to admit the truth. The fear of losing the one she was slowly beginning to love shocked her into reality. It broke her heart to tell Robin he wasn't the one.

A shiver went up Raven's spine as she realized she was staring at the tiled floor of the hallway. She looked back up and saw that Robin was staring at her with fear and hope written all over his face. She didn't know what to say. She knew from experience that nothing would make him feel better.

"We'll always be best friends," she finally said. Robin's face fell and her heart jumped. It hurt so bad to see him so sad, but Roy, and even she, had hurt as well.

"I know." Robin bit back the tears, but she could hear them in his voice.

Raven threw her arms around his neck and squeezed it tight. "I will always love you, Rich, and nothing will ever replace our bond." Then, she stepped back and gave him a muted smile. "But please just forget this ever happened. Go back to your life before you realized you loved me. Keep fighting for Kori, and don't let her out of your sight. I want you to be happy, too."

And with that she walked away. Robin watched as she opened the door to Speedy's room. The boy was asleep in his bed, but stirred as Raven walked over to him. Robin wanted to turn away but he couldn't, even as Raven brought her lips down to kiss Speedy's.

Robin continued to stand there dwelling in his sorrow as Raven picked up the now woke boy's hand and rubbed it against her face. He saw that both of them were crying and decided to finally let his tears fall, too. It was then he realized. The outcome he feared the most over the last two days of pondering and wondering had come true. The one that gave him the worst anxiety, and the one he knew would cause him the most pain: _he was too late_.

 **A/N: Sorry it was so long, but if you made it this far, thank you so much for reading and sticking with me. A much shorter epilogue is up next!**

 _ **Nimona: I don't know about the greatest ever but I try my best lol. Seriously though, thank you for your review. It put a huge smile on my face and made my day ;)**_

 _ **Satisfied Reader: Your reviews make me laugh each time lol. I hope you're happy with my choice! And I might take you up on that Red X thing or something similar since a sequel might be in the works. Thank you for your kind words :)**_

 _ **Xaphrin: I almost died when I saw your name on the review. I love your stories and your writing! I'm so grateful that you took the time out to type what you thought. I was thinking about getting a beta, so I might just get one next time. Once again, thank you again for your suggestions and reading!**_

 _ **Have a great day!**_


	20. Gone

20\. Gone

" **Oh, what will I do if I can't be with you? Tell me where will I turn to? Baby, where will I be? Now that we are apart am I still in your heart? Baby, why don't you see? That I need you here with me. I've been sitting here. Can't get you off my mind. I've tried my best to be a man and be strong. I've drove myself insane wishing I could touch your face. But the truth remains…you're gone." – *NSYNC**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own the characters or song.**

Frustration, emptiness, desolation, _regret_. Those were the things Robin was feeling as he sat at the round, brown kitchen table of the Wayne residence sulking in his loneliness. He was drinking his usual, black coffee and taking turns between sipping and playing with his fingers as he stared out the window facing Raven and Wally's homes. Cars were lined up on the side of the road and in their driveways as people poured through Wally's door. Balloons were tied on the mailbox and smiles were spread across everyone's face.

Truth was Robin should've been over there with a smile on his face, too. Wally and Raven were throwing a welcome home slash going away bash for him and Speedy. Speedy was coming back from a hard, three-month stint in rehab while the going away part was for Robin, who was leaving the country to go to a prestigious university in London for their highly respected business program.

Part of Robin wanted to believe the reason he was sitting in his kitchen drinking coffee instead of Wally's drinking Bud Light was because he wasn't actually excited about going away. Despite the strong face he put on, he didn't actually want to leave his home. Jump City had welcomed him, Bruce, and Alfred when they moved from Gotham many years before. It was a much kinder, family-friendly, and overall happy place to live. The sun was almost bright and shiny no matter the temperature and the bay was always still and beautiful.

Not to mention it was where he made his lifelong friends, became the person he was today, and best of all, where he met _her_. Raven, his longtime best friend, his confidant, his sun, his moon, and now his rejecter. He knew she was the real reason he was staring out the window watching the guests as he had done to her many times over the past three months. After she chose Speedy over him, he had hoped everything would at least go back to how they were before. However, he soon found out he was foolish for believing it would ever be the same.

The Tuesday after that fateful day at the hospital had been the worst of his life. He had unwisely knocked on her door and asked if she was still up for hanging out at the café. He could tell she was reluctant to agree by the immediate look of unsureness that crossed her face, yet she agreed anyway. The short car ride to the old building was tense and awkward to say the least. Neither of them knew what to say, and neither wanted to be the first to speak. The whole ride Raven kept her signature blunt expression and never once broke character. Robin could almost feel himself suffocating again as he gripped his mug like he had gripped his steering wheel. He exhaled in despair as the memories of that night continued to flow through his mind.

" _Thanks," Robin mumbled to the waitress who was setting his steaming, white mug of coffee onto the wooden table separating him and his purple-haired friend. The waitress nodded and went on her way. "You sure you don't want anything, Raven…?"_

 _Raven nodded and muttered, "I'm fine."_

 _Robin sighed. This was the first out of many times that Raven didn't order her usual herbal tea. It almost made him uncomfortable. He touched the handle of the mug and winced from the pain the heat brought him. Raven rolled her eyes and he couldn't help but smirk. Her response was a shake of her head._

" _So," Robin tapped his fingers restlessly, "how's everything going?"_

 _Raven let out a breath and removed her black hood from her head, revealing very tired eyes and shabby hair. "I finally got Speedy to go to rehab after four, gruesome days of dealing with his withdrawal. I think my hair still reeks of vomit and un-brushed teeth."_

 _Robin frowned at that statement. He didn't really want to talk about Roy even if it wasn't in the best of light. "How'd you manage to do that…" He asked sort of quietly; he didn't actually want an answer._

 _Raven sat back and folded her arms across her chest. "I guess he just came to his senses after the seizure he had yesterday."_

" _Seizure?" Robin asked with round eyes while Raven just shook her head up and down. "That's horrible."_

" _Yeah…" Raven uttered, and before they knew it, they were being swallowed by silence again._

 _Sounds could be heard from the table as Robin began nervously tapping it once more. He picked up his beverage and took a small, uneasy sip. Suddenly, a question began brewing inside of him._

" _Are you happy, Raven?" he blurted. He immediately slapped a hand over his mouth and closed his eyes, bracing himself for her wrath._

 _Raven glared at him with a side eye, then let out a sigh. "I don't know, Robin. All I know—"_

" _Don't force yourself to be with him because you feel guilty," Robin interrupted, sure that he was being helpful. "You'll never be happy that way."_

 _But he soon regretted it. "Like I was saying before I was rudely interrupted," Raven started through gritted teeth. "All I know is I've never felt like this before. I have someone who really cares for me and loves me and I actually feel the same. I thought I would be forever alone. The feeling it's…It's indescribable."_

 _Robin frowned once again and stared at his hands. "E-even with the a-addiction thing?" he stuttered. He already knew the answer to the question; he just wanted to hear it from her mouth._

 _Raven rolled her big, amethyst eyes at what she thought was him being shallow. "You don't understand, Rich. Right now, all I want in life is to see him with a smile on his face. To be able to see his chest moving up and down. To be able to place a hand on his beating heart." Raven paused at her cheesiness and asked herself if someone had taken over her body and was forcing her to say those things. "The greatest joy of my day is holding his hand and feeling him squeeze mine for comfort and certainty from knowing I won't leave his side."_

" _Raven, stop," Robin choked; he couldn't listen any longer. "You sound like a nauseatingly cheesy chick flick."_

 _Raven sighed and pulled her hood back over her messy bun. "You're right. I'm turning into someone else. Someone with emotions. But maybe that's a good thing."_

 _Robin stared in disbelief as Raven gave him a small smile._ 'Maybe she is happy,' _he thought. '_ And maybe she's right. Speedy's bringing out the best in her.'

" _So, how's life been treating you?" Her voice knocked him out of his thoughts._

"Shouldn't you be at your own going away party, Master Grayson?" Alfred's voice startled him out of his daydream before his past self could answer Raven's question. He looked down and realized he was still tapping his fingers frantically on the wood after all that time.

"Uh," he began and looked up at the graying, old man who was wearing a muted smirk on his grave face, "yeah, you're right."

Robin stood up and raced to his room to change into something more decent than striped boxers and a white tee. He settled on something similar to what he wore for his and Raven's night on the beach, a moment he now cherished deeply. This time his shorts were more of a peach color and he left the first few buttons on his shirt unfastened. He gelled his hair back into more of a pompadour style and cleaned the lens of his glasses before placing them over his rich blue eyes. Finally, he was ready to face the crowd.

* * *

"Bout time you made it, man," Cyborg slapped Robin on his back when he finally made it inside the celebration. "Thought I was going to have to come drag you out of bed myself!"

Robin winced and rubbed his now throbbing shoulder. "Yeah, I overslept," he lied.

"Yeah," Beast Boy came out of nowhere with a beer in his hand, "Star's been looking all over for you. She made a special friendship dish for you. It's scary, dude."

Robin frowned at the thought of the extremely foreign and disgusting meal the girl had waiting for him, but his thoughts were quickly replaced with something else as he scanned the room. "Where's Raven?"

Cyborg smirked and answered, "She went to pick Speedy up from the rehab center." Then, he raised an eyebrow and asked, "What's going on between you two? You don't necessarily scream best friends anymore."

Robin chuckled at his bluntness which reminded him of the girl. "Nothing. She's just been…really busy with Speedy. That's all."

"Dude, I heard they're a couple now," Beast Boy rushed excitedly. "Twenty-dollars they'll be banging like gorillas tonight!"

Cyborg was about to shake on it when Beast Boy was suddenly being lifted off the ground by Robin's strong hands. "Dude, what's your problem?!" Beast Boy screamed as his feet dangled in the air.

Robin let go of his shirt causing him to trip over his feet and drop his beer can. "Don't ever say that again or I'll feed your body to a bunch of gorillas," Robin said evilly through gritted teeth.

Beast Boy propped himself up on his elbows and called after Robin who was storming away, "But, dude, gorillas are vegetarians!"

"Friend Robin!" Starfire ran over to the fuming, black-haired boy who was now standing next to the booming stereo trying to tune out the voices around him. Robin didn't acknowledge her, so she started again, "I've been awaiting your arrival!"

"Hi, Star," he mumbled, but was barely audible thanks to the blaring music.

Starfire smiled worriedly and pushed a dish of what looked like bug-filled gelatin in his face. "I have prepared my home country's traditional dish of friendship!" She paused and watched as Robin stared blankly into the crowd and bobbed his head to the deafening music. She sighed and said, "I will miss you dearly, Friend Robin! I want you to know you'll always have a friend in me!"

Robin looked the girl in her anxious, emerald eyes and gave his best attempt at a small smile. "Thanks, Star. I really appreciate it, and I'll miss you, too."

Starfire gave an uneasy smile and placed the dish on the table beside him before scurrying over to Jinx, KF, and Aqualad. Robin didn't want to be mean, but he didn't want to give her the wrong idea any longer. He no longer had feelings for her and, as of now, he wasn't sure if he ever did. Not to mention, she was Aqualad's all along. It was selfish of him to try to take her.

"Here they come!" Terra's scream suddenly filled the air.

Robin looked around, confused, as everyone got quiet. He didn't know it was a surprise party. How could it be a surprise with all the cars in front of the house? He braced himself as the door slowly opened. He didn't exactly know how his body would react to seeing Roy and Raven together, but he knew it wouldn't be a good feeling.

"WELCOME BACK!" Everyone minus Robin screamed when their faces were finally revealed. Kid Flash even had a confetti cannon that he fired on the couple as they strolled in, and someone else was tooting an air horn. Robin couldn't help but wonder why he didn't get this kind of welcoming; it was his party, too.

"Wow, guys," Speedy spoke in disbelief. He couldn't believe their friends had gone through all this trouble just for him, a recovering drug addict and a notable butthole. He almost wanted to cry, but he couldn't ruin his handsome face. He had finally gotten it back to its pre-drug stage.

"Why all this for me?" he continued and looked at his beaming, redhead best friend.

"We're proud of you, Roy," Raven nonchalantly replied instead with a squeeze of his hand.

Speedy looked down at the girl beside him and saw her signature subdued smile that was riding her face. Her smile was muted, but the joy in her eyes was unmissable. He returned the smile and pulled her into a tight embrace causing everyone, minus Robin once again, to let out _aww's_.

"Speedy," Raven struggled to say in his tight grip, "this is embarrassing."

But the boy didn't care. They had fallen deeply in love over the last three months. She stuck with him through all his up and downs and stayed beside him through every storm. She had come to every visitation day at the rehab center and had written him letters each week. He found himself longing for the weekend just so he could see her gentle face. He loved her, and she loved him back. Now, he was drug free, had a full track scholarship to Steel University, and his daughter was out of the hospital and doing well. Life was perfect.

"Come on let's party!" Wally yelled, causing Speedy to pull away from Raven with a smirk. He looked at her for consent and she just nodded in response. Soon, he was on the dance floor acting silly and doing things like the Gangnam Style and Macarena with his best friend. It was just like old times.

Raven shook her head at their silliness and walked further into the party scene. She grabbed a red cup of what she hoped was punch and posted on a wall to watch her friends dance and have fun. She took her eyes off them for one second and looked over towards the stereo to see Robin staring at her with a grim expression. She almost dropped her cup from shock, but quickly regained her composure. She slammed her cup on the table next to her and decided to walk over towards him. She could tell he grew uneasy with every step she took.

"Why are you staring me down like that, Boy Wonder?" she deadpanned when she finally reached him.

Robin scratched the back of his neck and said, "Um…you have something on your face…"

Raven squinted her eyes, but still asked, "Where?"

Robin chuckled nervously and tried to keep up his lie. "Um…right," he reached out to touch her face, but something within compelled him to kiss her lips instead, "here," he finished.

"Robin!" Raven screamed lowly and pushed him so that there was space between them. "Why'd you do that? You know I'm with Roy. He'd kill us both if he saw you doing that."

Robin finally gave in, "I miss you, Raven. No one thinks we're best friends anymore." He glanced up and looked her in her eyes. "It's that obvious that we're becoming distant."

Raven's eyes cut at the boy, annoyed. "Robin, you know I had to be there for him these last three months. Plus, I've been getting ready for school, too." She sighed and continued, "We're adults now. We're going to have separate, busy lives. That doesn't mean our bond will ever disappear."

Robin let out a breath as well and looked at the ground. "But, Raven, I'm about to be on the other side of the world for four, long years. This summer should've been our summer."

Raven followed his lead and stared at their feet. "I know. I'm sorry, Rich. I just got caught up."

Robin suddenly took her hand in his. "I'm really going to miss you, Raven."

She looked at him with sad eyes and pulled her hand back. "I'm going to miss you, too, Richard. I still love you, but…it's time to move on."

Robin's heart almost dropped. Did she just say she still loved him? The whole summer he assumed that she no longer felt the same, and he had no chance. But now he knew the truth.

"Look who's here, Raven," Speedy's voice made Robin's heart fizzle again. He looked up and saw the redhead holding a tiny, equally bright redhead in his arms. Standing next to him was a grinning blonde with dark gray eyes.

Raven turned around with a big smile on her face, which Robin thought was impossible, and said in her best effort at baby talk, "Hey, Lian!" but it still came out dryly. Then, she turned to the blonde and said, "Hey, Artemis."

"Hey, Rae," Artemis chuckled at her blasé attitude and crossed her arms.

Robin watched as Raven interacted with Speedy and his mini me and noticed how much they looked like a happy family. The baby reached out to touch Raven's face and easily grinned a toothless, slobbery smile at her and her dad, and that very smile and girlish giggle she let out as Speedy made a funny face made both of their hearts warm. Yet, it made Robin's turn cold.

"Can I talk to you outside, Roy?" Something inside forced him to say.

Speedy eyed him funnily, then said, "Sure." He handed Lian to Raven and led Robin upstairs to the balcony of the game room. "So, what's up?" he asked when they were finally being grazed by the breeze of the day.

Robin shifted uneasily and scooted as far away as possible from the redhead, remembering the night of the state track meet where he basically attempted to murder his own best friend. "I just want to say…make sure you treat Raven right."

Speedy let out an annoyed chuckle. "I'm the not one Raven has to be scared of treating her wrongly."

Robin grimaced and bit back, "I'm just saying keep her happy."

Speedy leaned on the rails and turned to look at his ex-rival. "I love Raven, Birdbrain. Her and Lian's happiness are my top priorities."

Robin snickered and shook his head. "Don't go sleeping around on her. You know how hard it is for you to keep it in your pants."

Speedy let go of the rail and stepped closer to Robin with a balled up fist. Robin stepped back nervously, scared that the boy might strike him. But the boy just let out another laugh instead. "Why do you think I'm so bad for her, Rich?"

Robin calmed down and leaned on the rail himself. He took a deep breath and admitted, "I just think she's making a big mistake."

"But why?" Speedy repeated. "You don't think I'm worthy of someone like her?" Robin might of thought Speedy was just toying with him, but he genuinely wanted to know why Robin always hated the idea of the two being together.

Robin shook his head again. "No—I mean yeah," he began, "I just…"

"You just what?"

' _I just love her more than you ever will,'_ he thought to himself. "I just want what's best for her."

Speedy turned to look at his companion and let out a heartfelt, "How do you know I'm not what's best for her?" Robin just hunched his shoulders and stared at the ground below. "Robin, there's no competition between us anymore. High school's over and Raven's with me. We're not rivals. You don't have to hate me forever."

Robin turned his head to look at the serious look on Speedy's face. He nodded and turned to look back at the house across the street. Speedy gave him a friendly pat on the back and left him to mellow in his silence. Robin swallowed the gall that was brewing in his throat and thought about what the redhead had just stated. He came to the conclusion that Speedy was wrong. The competition was just getting started. _And he was going to win._

* * *

 **A/N: The end lol. I hope you guys are satisfied with the ending. Thank you to everyone who ever read this story, and all of my reviewers. I have decided to write a sequel hence the last sentence. I have some ideas bubbling in my head, so hopefully I can execute them well. There's some foreshadowing for what the sequel is going to mostly revolve around, but I don't know if you'll be able to figure it out lol. If you want to read it, it'll most likely be called** _ **Hello**_ **, but I'm not quite sure yet. So, just be on the lookout! Anyway, enough rambling. Thank you all once again for taking time out of your lives to read this! I'm more than grateful :)**

 **P.S. I just want to give a shout out to Alexandria Heart, baby19, and Satisfied Reader for your reviews of Chapter 19! Thank you guys 3**

 *****I'm finally realizing that the lines I had separating the scenes in each chapter don't show up on the site. So, sorry if scene changes confused you throughout the story. Thanks for continuing!**


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